Snow
by Queen-Cocaine
Summary: Based from the end of the Megamix Panda. New Life. New friends. New identity. But now he must return and face his past, what he left behind...and who. Contains drug, alcohol and sexual references.
1. A Prologue of Sorts

_**Hey there! Well this is my first actual Gravi fic, despite reading countless ones. It basically follows along the plotline of one of the Gravitation Megamixes. Panda to be specific. A general summary of it is that Shuichi is on tour and Yuki is missing him and starts masturbating. He begins to imagine himself as a child, having sex with Kitazawa Yuki while in reality he had called up Tohma and Tatsuha and they come over and start fucking his brains out. Tohma, being the evil genius he is, films the whole thing and sends it to Shuichi. It ends with Shuichi watching the video and a glimpse of his open mouth. This is where my fic starts. **_

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognise. Sad. **

* * *

Present day.

* * *

**Ring. Ring. **

"_**Moshi Moshi?" **_

"_**It's me."**_

"_**Oh really. Me? That's informative."**_

"– _**Laugh – No, it isn't. You're right…Imouto-chan"**_

"– _**Gasp – …No way! Aniki?!" **_

"_**In the flesh…or vocal form anyway."**_

"_**..."**_

"_**I'm coming back." **_

"_**What's the occasion?" **_

"_**Can't I miss my little sister?" **_

"_**Not when you've been gone for this long, brother." **_

_**-**_

_**-**_

_**-**_

* * *

**Snow.**

-

Chapter One

* * *

_**-**_

_**-**_

_**-**_

* * *

Two years earlier.

Four Seasons.

London, England.

* * *

"Oi Shu, you _sure_ you don't want to come?" Hiro shoved his friend playfully. "There's going to be dancing…and hookers…"

Shuichi made a face. "And cheat on Yuki?? Are you kidding me?! I'd _never_ do that! Besides, I hate hookers…they're too…they have…"

"Tits?" Hiro teased.

Shuichi flushed a deep red. "Shut up Hiro!" he whined. "Can you imagine what Yuki would do to me if he ever found out?"

Fujisaki rolled his eyes. "If you're so concerned over what Yuki-san thinks than maybe you shouldn't come after all."

Shuichi glared at him. "You implying I'm a killjoy? It's not as if you're even old enough to get into the clubs by yourself."

"Eh, Yuki-san is probably enjoying a couple of hookers himself." Hiro hooked an arm around Shuichi's shoulders.

The pink-haired singer shoved it off with a squeal. "Don't say that!"

"Relax Shu-chan; I'm just messing with you." The guitarist ruffled his friend's hair. "Last chance…in or out?"

"Let's just go." Fujisaki grumbled. "He's not coming."

"Nope!" Shuichi shook his head proudly. "I am a faithful and loyal lover. For me it's Yuki and only Yuki."

Hiro snorted. "Pfft, suit yourself fan-girl. Hey Fujisaki, let's move it. We don't want to miss the strip show. Hear there are feathers and sequins involved."

Laughing, the two musicians exited the hotel room. Shuichi kicked the door shut behind them.

"Yeah, yeah, strip joints and brothels galore in this place." He muttered to himself. "Better hope Ayaka never finds out...or Tohma for that matter."

He cackled madly in the silent hotel room, envisioning scenarios of both his band mates getting their butts kicked while Yuki madly and passionately proclaimed his love for his loyal and true lover…and then proposed. Shuichi squealed madly.

**((Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…)) **

"Dum, Dum, Dum-dum" he hummed. "Oh Yuki, I do! I do!" He swooned madly, stumbling around the room.

_Knock! Knock! Knock! _

"Huh?" Shuichi looked at the door quizzically. "Who could be visiting at this hour?"

He shrugged and wandered over and opened the door to reveal a contrite looking hotel employee in a smart navy blue uniform.

"I'm dreadfully sorry sir, for the late intrusion, but this was just sent in for you. Urgently." He spoke in a crisp British accent.

Shuichi stared at him. "Eh?"

The man winced. "Oh dear, you don't speak a word of English do you?"

"I don't speak English." Shuichi explained in Japanese.

The hotel employee frowned and started speaking slowly, accentuating each word clearly. "Erm, This. Came. For. You." He held up a parcel. "From. Tohma. Seguchi."

Shuichi brightened in recognition. "Oh? From Tohma?"

The man nodded eagerly at Shuichi's recognition of the name and offered the parcel to him. Shuichi took it curiously and returned the man's bow.

"Have a good night sir." The man said.

"I still have no idea what you are talking about." Shuichi chirped in reply before closing the door in the man's face.

"Weird." He said to himself. "What would Tohma send me?"

He gave the parcel a quick shake in an attempt to gain a hint. Something rattled slightly inside. Shuichi grinned before tearing into the box.

Shredded pieces of cardboard flew around the room and Shuichi held an unlabeled videotape in his hand.

"Eh?" He tilted his head. "A video?"

Why would Tohma send him a video? Maybe it was an unreleased Nittle Grasper video!

Or maybe a copy of their newest music video! He hadn't seen it yet as they started the tour straight after wrapping up the filming on it. But he knew it would have debuted while they were away. He made Yuki promise to tape it for him.

Maybe this was it! Yuki must have given the tape to Tohma to send to him!

Suddenly excited he bounced over to the television. He didn't use it much; it only showed English channels and he couldn't understand what was going on.

He sang the first line of 'Rage Beat' softly as he pushed the tape into the VCR. "_obieta mezuki de iradatsu omoi uwaki na kaze ni_" and stood back to watch.

The familiar image of his lover flickered on screen and Shuichi smiled giddily. This was nice of Tohma, sending him a home movie of Yuki when he probably knew how homesick he was.

**((Let it never be said that Tohma Seguchi didn't look out for his employees.))**

This was his train of thought until about five seconds into the movie where he fell to his knees in shock.

**((Bang.)) **

The shot had moved downwards until the image of some unknown man..._thrusting_ into _his_ Yuki filled the scene.

Shuichi was frozen.

**((iCY)) **

He couldn't move.

**((sTILL)) **

Couldn't think.

**((mINDLESS)) **

Couldn't breathe.

**((cORPSE)) **

This…this was a fake. It had to be.

Yuki wouldn't–

He _wouldn't_–

The view got worse when it travelled back up to Yuki's face and revealed the assailant behind him. The almost identical features – if only in a black negative.

His…brother.

The husky gasping voice of Yuki was heard.

"I'd forgotten anal was…so good."

Shuichi sucked it a breath. It stabbed his lungs like a knife.

This was proof that the video was a fake. Yuki would never ever _ever_ let anyone shove their cock in him.

**((Anyone equals Shuichi)) **

_no, No, NO!_ Shuichi thought feverously. _Yuki loves me! I know it; he just has trouble saying it!_

He didn't seem to have any vocal problems on screen. His lust-filled aching moans hit Shuichi one at a time like white-hot needles digging into every inch of his skin.

**((sTAB,bURN,pAIN)) **

It only got worse. He watched. He watched as a cum-soaked Yuki moaned and writhed,

**((Like a sLUT))**

being fucked by both his brother and brother-in-law.

**((pHILIA vS. eROS)) **

The thudding beat of his heart became heavy, bruising his chest with every pump.

**((Bump,Bump,Crash)) **

He watched as

**((hIS)) **

Yuki came over and over again from the ministrations of someone else.

"Let me see that pretty face you make when you come."

**((Pretty? He's gORGEOUS))**

He screamed. He screamed when he came and Shuichi screamed with him. He put his hands over his ears

**((shut up, Shut up, SHUT UP))**

and emptied his lungs

**((His body))**

of every piece of hurt

**((Betrayal))**.

It was stuck.

Wouldn't move.

Clung to him like a babe to its mother.

Filling him

**((eYES,mOUTH,nOSE))**

with its bitter tang.

He had to leave.

**((Get out)) **

Go back to Japan and talk to Yuki. Yuki would tell him it was a fake. It would all be good.

**((bROKEN fAIRYTALE)) **

Life would be great.

Yuki loved him and all was fine.

Yuki moaned.

Yuki loved him.

Yuki's eyes rolled back in pleasure.

Yuki loved him.

Yuki's breath came in short pants.

Yuki loved him.

**((love,Love,LOVE))**

Forget Japan; he couldn't wait the eleven hours

**((and twenty-five minutes)) **

it took to fly. His hand was already reaching for the phone.

It was only eight-thirty in Japan. Shuichi always made a point of knowing the time-differences between himself and Yuki. It made him feel closer to the writer.

**((As close as family))**

He dropped the phone.

He picked up the phone.

He dialled.

He hung up.

He redialled.

– Pause –

It rang.

And rang.

He hung up.

**((Deep breath now))**

Press the familiar numbers

**((again)) **

and listen.

"_Moshi Moshi?"_

**((Breathe.)) **

"_What?" _

**((Breathe deep.)) **

"_Who the hell is this?" _

**((Gasping breath.)) **

"_I'm hanging up now." _

**((No!)) **

"Yuki!"

"_What the hell do you want Brat?"_

"Please…please Yuki."

"…_?" _

"Please…tell me it's a fake."

"_What the fuck are you blathering on about now Brat?" _

**((Sob.)) **

"It's not real. _Please_. Tell me. I need to know it's not real. I– I– You love me, right Yuki?"

"_Not when you're being a moron. What's the matter with you?" _

**((Ignore.))**

"It must be fake. Can't be real. That would mean you be– betra– No! It's fake. Not real. Made up. Actors can moan just as well as you Yuki. –Choked sob– Can't they? I mean they're actors and they act and that's what they do. They do it well. Well enough that it must be a fake. Not real. No. No! _No!_"

**((Smash. Goodbye screen.)) **

"_Calm the fuck down Shuichi. What was that sound? Where the fuck's Nakano when you need him??" _

"IT'S A FAKE. TELL ME IT'S FAKE. PLEASE. _PLEASE_."

**((Lie to me)) **

Hands shaking.

Cold sweat.

Room spinning.

Short breaths.

"I can't breathe. I can't _breathe_ Yuki!"

"_Shuichi, you need to calm down. Listen to my voice. Now take a deep breath. Ready?"_

Sucking in a breath.

Bad idea.

**((Blow chunks))**

Retching.

Choking.

Heaving.

The phone lay drowning in a sea of vomit.

He could barely hear Yuki's voice still coming from it.

Sinking in on himself.

"I hate you. I HATE YOU!" He screamed at the phone.

**((Liar.)) **

"How the _fuck_ could you do this to me Yuki? I was fucking _faithful_. HOW THE FUCK COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!"

**((Smash. Goodbye phone)) **

He needed to go.

**((Get out.)) **

To leave.

**((Vanish.)) **

To disappear to a place where it couldn't hurt him.

**((Hide.)) **

Where he could get away from the lusty moans of his lover

**((not directed at him))**

playing over and over again in his head.

He took the tape. To hide it away where no one would see it

**((Ashamed.)) **

where no one else would know.

He stumbled through the door, down the hallways of curious faces.

Awakened by the devils screaming.

Alerted by the broken soldier.

Curious cats.

He left.

He left the hotel.

He left his band.

He left his love.

**((Let it never be said that Tohma Seguchi didn't look out for his employees))**

* * *

_**I love first chapters. They always come out nice. Hope the "artistic edge" isn't too hard to read. I just kind of went with it. That's the first dose of angst. Most of the story will be moderately happy and there will be extensive drug and alcohol abuse. …mostly likely the reason for the happiness. Anyways. Review and all that though it is probably unlikely I will be able to update in the next couple of weeks as I have mock exams coming up. Sucks to be me. Anyways peace out yo!**_

"_**He's a looker, but I really think it's guts that matter most…"**_

_**Love Queen Cocaine**_

_**xoxo**_


	2. Miss Maiko

_**Yeah, I know I said I wouldn't update for a couple of weeks. I couldn't help myself. It's kind of my nicotine at the moment. I'm constantly thinking of new scenes, especially at work when I'm bored. Anyways, enjoy and review!**_

_**-**_

_**-**_

_**-**_

* * *

**Snow.**

-

Chapter Two

* * *

_**-**_

_**-**_

_**-**_

* * *

Present day.

The Sakura Cafe.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

The Sakura café was at its busiest during three crucial points at the day:

Early morning when the droves of suited beings with attached briefcases grabbed a quick coffee to go before hurrying off to their various offices.

Midday when couplets of gossiping friends paused for a quick scandal session over a cup of tea and a piece of biscotti.

Late afternoon when groups of drained individuals flocked together to compare notes and stories of the day over the not-so-freshly-baked 'muffin of the day'.

It was at this time, Nakano Hiroshi, lead guitarist and singer of the J-pop band 'Bad Luck', found himself sitting opposite an old adversary-turned-friend.

It was strange, he mused, how things turned out. He could have just as easily turned on his now-friend, blamed him for everything. Instead they ended up bonding over a misdemeanour, a circumstance that was beyond either's control, or comprehension.

"How's the new album?" His companion drawled, stirring the spoon around in his black coffee before breaking off a piece of strawberry shortcake and popping in it his mouth.

Hiro frowned. This wasn't how they usually started. This wasn't the neutral ground they almost obsessively kept to.

It was strictly in the grey area, not tipping the delicate balance just yet, but still, decidedly grey.

He decided to answer, if not to keep the scales steady.

"Fine, we appear to be moving into a more J-rock scene now. We just released the new single."

Good, not too unsteady, safe ground still. But it could be safer. He decided to switch the topic back to his partner. "And how is your latest book? Selling well?"

Yuki Eiri grunted and took another bite of shortbread. "As usual. I can't decide if it's the writing they're after…or me."

Hiro laughed. "A little of both I'd imagine. You are quite the sexual icon Eiri." The novelist allowed a grim smile at that.

Slightly uncomfortable, the men both shifted in their seats. An awkward silence moved over the table, both occupants too ill at ease to break it.

"I apologise for my tardiness," A light almost feminine tone caught their attention, electing a sigh of relief from both men. "The meeting ran later than I anticipated."

Tohma Seguchi directed a blithe smile at them before seating himself.

A tall blonde man followed his example. "Well, if you would have just let me take care of it…" He stroked the 45. Magnum holstered at his side to emphasise his meaning.

Tohma laughed gently. "I think we all know how…_effective_ your methods are K-san. However, this particular meeting was a rather important one and I had no wish to jeopardise it."

"Na no da! What was it about Tohma-kun?"

Everyone except Tohma jumped as a pink bunny atop of a head of messy brown hair shot up from under the smiled gently at his band mate.

"Nothing for you to concern yourself about Ryu-chan." Ryuichi's eyes filled with tears and he shoved the rabbit into Tohma's face. "Aww…what about Kumagoro? He wants to know too!"

Tohma gently pushed Kumagoro away with a practised ease. "The same applies for Kumagoro-chan."

"Tohma!" Ryuichi wailed. "Why are you being so _meeean_?!"

Tohma sighed softly and ruffled the singer's hair.

The waterworks stopped immediately and Ryuichi beamed up at him before plonking himself heavily on K's lap. "Ne, K-san, you sure are bony!"

Hiro and K laughed.

Eiri rolled his eyes and lit up a cigarette.

He ignored the lively chatter from the other occupants of his table, instead his eyes moved lazily over the rest of the café's inhabitants.

His gaze locked with a pair of violet coloured eyes and he felt his heart clench in his chest.

It–

It _couldn't_ be.

The eyes blinked and a piece of brown hair fell across them.

Brown hair.

Long brown hair.

The mysterious purple eyes belonged to a young girl, perhaps around twenty? But she looked so familiar.

Her features almost looked like…no.

Let's not go there.

He shook his head to rid himself of his thought train which gained the attention of Hiro.

The guitarist looked up in confusion to see what Eiri was reacting to. His grin widened in recognition. "Hey! Maiko!"

The girl looked up startled before her own grin slipped onto her face. "Hiroshi-nii-san!"

She bounced over to the table and catapulted herself into Hiro's arms. "Omigosh! How _are _you?"

Yuki was amazed at the speed she could talk at.

"I haven't seen you since we graduated!" Hiro laughed. "What are you doing in Tokyo?"

Maiko rolled her eyes. "I live here now silly! I'm doing a double degree in Law and Psychology."

"Really? How come you've never come to see me then?"

"I don't have your address. Duh!"

"Why didn't you get it off S– Never mind." He amended quickly.

Yuki frowned. What was he hiding?

He observed the girl again, she still looked blaringly familiar and he still couldn't place where from…it was really starting to piss him off.

Maiko's attention came to the others at the table and she flushed in embarrassment. "Hiro!" she smacked Hiro's arm good-naturedly. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?"

Ryuichi grabbed her hand and started shaking it enthusiastically. "Hi there! I'm Sakuma Ryuichi and this is Kumagoro!" He shoved the rabbit in her face.

Maiko took it confused before a smile broke out on her face. "Nice to meet you Kumagoro-chan, and you too Ryuichi-san. My brother loves you!"

"Really?! Does he want an autograph?"

"Maybe later Ryu." Hiro broke in. "Maiko-chan, this is Seguchi Tohma, my manager K and Yuki Eiri."

Maiko shook hands with each as they were introduced and paused at Eiri. "It's an honour sir. I'm a huge fan of your work."

Eiri gave her a blast of his charismatic public smile as she flushed. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well Miss…?"

"Shindou. Shindou Maiko."

There was a sudden silence as everyone stared at her.

Eiri's cigarette fell out of his mouth in shock but he quickly found himself and slipped back into the charming persona.

"Wow!" Ryuichi beamed at her. "Are you related to–"

"So what brings you to this café Maiko-san?" Tohma smoothly interrupted.

Perhaps it was not the best idea to bring _that _particular subject up.

Maiko blushed under his direct gaze. "I'm meeting someone here."

"Oh?" Hiro teased, prodding her side. "Someone special?"

Maiko squirmed. "Stop it! You could say that. But he's late."

She looked around the expanse of the café before her gaze landed on someone in the entrance, his lithe silhouette shining against the last rays of the sun.

"HEY ANIKI! OVER HERE!"

-

-

-

* * *

Two years earlier.

London, England.

* * *

He hurried through the alleyway like a rat.

**((vERMIN)) **

That's what he was now.

Part of the vermin that infected the city.

The one's that people's gazes passed over.

He'd spend so much of his life trying to be the centre of attention.

Always wanting the lime light.

He was invisible now.

**((vANISHED)) **

And that was how he wanted it.

He'd acted quickly.

Knowing they'd be able to trace his movements from through his bank activities, he withdrew as much as he could and disappeared.

He learnt the hard way what happened when you carried round fifty thousand in cash.

The punk who found him must have had a field day with it.

But the man was greedy

**((aVARICE)) **

and it still wasn't enough.

He hadn't been able to walk for three days.

Now here he was, the

**((decrepit,drained,defeated))**

rock-star-turned-street-rat.

Every time he passed a payphone he thought of calling

**((for help)) **

Hiro

**((begging,pleading)) **

and coming home.

**((no,No,NO)) **

He'd go back home

**((to hIM)) **

and be Yuki's

**((lapdog))**

lover again.

**((woof.))**

All he wanted

**((needed))**

was to forget.

Let the darkness swallow him whole and take away the pain

**((agony)) **

of living.

He didn't know who he was.

What he looked like.

A glimpse in a passing window

**((vANITY)) **

showed a little wraith-child, dull sunken eyes, skeletal limbs, hair an indistinguishable colour from the amount of filth strewn from it.

**((tRAGICALLY bEAUTIFUL))**

He was a changeling child.

He kept to the shadows, not belonging in this shiny bustling world.

A chiming laugh

**((bELLS)) **

carried over to him on the wind.

He frowned.

Creeping out

**((whisper quiet)) **

onto the footpath

**(("Oi! Get out of the fuckin' way, ya hobo")) **

across the road

**((toot!)) **

and into the shadowy safety of the trees.

There they were

**((faeries)) **

in a circle on the dewy grass.

They were beautiful.

Long lithe limbs,

**((aNOREXIC)) **

large staring eyes,

**((dILATED) **

chiming bell laughs,

**((sTONED))**

He was drawn to them like a moth to the flame

**((bURNT)) **

and they welcomed him. draping their fey-arms around him, pulling him this way and that, loving every part of his body.

Breathing life into him through their magical fairy dust.

And Shuichi forgot.

-

-

-

* * *

Present day.

The Sakura Cafe.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

K reached for his gun.

Ryuichi chewed on Kumogoro's ear.

Kumagoro stared.

Hiro half leapt up and hit his knee on the table.

Maiko fell off Hiro's lap with a squeak.

Tohma smiled.

Eiri stopped breathing.

Every gaze at the table was pointed at one place.

This gained attention, mostly due to Maiko's shout, and eventually everyone in the café; customers, waitresses, cooks alike, was staring at the figure in the doorway.

He paused, seemingly unaffected by the amount of attention he was getting, and took a step.

And another.

And another.

And he was out of the glare and in full view now.

The first thing table five noticed was how small he was; only 5'5 in height with a delicately small frame, like a dancer, that gave a hint of inner strength.

Table two noticed his hair; it was black and long for a boy, falling over his face in silky strands, a large pink streak visible on the left side.

Table eleven noticed his clothing; smooth clinging black leather trousers disappearing into spiked combat boots. A ruffled white shirt that opened in a partial V with a glimpse of smooth pale chest before disappearing into the leather binding pulled harshly around his torso, defining it like a corset. Around his neck was a piece of ribbon wrapped several times and attached to an ankh.

The waitress at the counter noticed, with a sigh, how _pretty_ he was; pale skin with high cheekbones, pink lips with a ring through his lip to the left and a stud on his labret. The rest of his features were hidden, she noted dejectedly, by a pair of fashionably oversized sunglasses.

All table eight noticed, however, was that this person was their missing friend/employee/brother/band-mate/lover.

The only person who had no reservations about the sudden silence was the one who caused it. Maiko leapt from the floor and flew at her elder brother.

"Shuichi!"

He caught her and swung her round in a hug, clearly stronger than he looked.

"I can't believe you're here! I mean, it's been _ages_! You look so different! Guess who I just bumped into?" Without waiting for an answer she grabbed his hand and dragged him over to table eight.

Shuichi stared at the occupants of table eight.

The occupants of table eight stared at Shuichi.

The waitress at the counter stared at Shuichi.

The rest of the café alternated between staring at Shuichi and the occupants of table eight.

"…Hello." Shuichi said in distinctly British accented English.

That was all it took.

"You bastard!" Roared Hiro. "You fucking bastard! Do you have _any_ idea what you put us through?! For two fucking years Shuichi!"

He grabbed Shuichi by the collar and yanked him up to eye level.

Shuichi didn't look affected in the slightest by this, he cocked his head to the left and Hiro found himself flat on the ground with a large lump on his head.

Shuichi landed lightly on his feet beside him.

Maiko was glaring down at the guitarist, her hand still curled in a fist. "This is my first visit from my brother in **two years** and you are NOT GOING TO RUIN IT!!"

"Hmm…" Shuichi hummed lightly and sat in Hiro's place.

"Welcome back Shindou-san." Tohma nodded at him before sipping his tea.

Shuichi inclined his head. "Thank you. I trust you met with my…associates?"

The head of NG smiled. "Yes, it was…intriguing."

"Wait a second." Eiri snapped out of his daze. "You_ knew_ he was back?"

"I was as surprised to see Shindou-san as you Eiri. As we mentioned, it was only his associates I met with."

"I'm quite ambiguous when I want to be, Eiri." Shuichi smiled blandly at him. "As I'm sure you well know."

Eiri stared at him for a moment before replying. "Definitely. Your stupidity paves no way for logical thinking."

"Ah, I missed your charming wit, Eiri."

Eiri snorted and lit another cigarette. "You're back. Does that mean I need to change the locks?"

"Of course not. I am not without accommodation here."

"Why the hell are you talking like that?" Hiro asked, climbing off the floor with the help of the table.

"I haven't the slightest idea what you mean Hiroshi."

"Where have you been Shu-chan?" Ryuichi asked, chewing on Kumagoro's ear.

"I live in England now, Ryuichi."

"Is it fun there?"

"Very."

K watched Shuichi integrate with a frown.

There was something off about him. Like somehow, he wasn't connected to everyone else.

Detached.

Partially in his own little world. And what was with the sunglasses? It wasn't even bright inside.

His eyes narrowed in realisation.

Looking around, he saw that Tohma understood as well. Yuki-san…didn't know, he decided, but he did realise something was off.

"What is the time?" Shuichi asked suddenly, cutting off Ryuichi in the middle of another sentence.

"Quarter to six." Tohma answered automatically.

Shuichi frowned, showing some sort of emotion for the first time. "Oh."

"Anything wrong?"

Shuichi stared at the ceiling, seemingly finding something extremely interesting about it. "Not particularly." He started humming under his breath.

Maiko frowned. "So…"

Her attempt at reigniting the conversation was cut short as the door flew open for the second time that afternoon and a small blur raced in and pounced on Shuichi.

"Hello dearest." Shuichi acknowledged, keeping his attention on the ceiling.

The blue revealed itself to be a girl, even tinier than Shuichi with the same fairy-like limbs, one arm covered with a sleeve of tattoos. Her curly platinum hair was pulled into a long pony-tail at the base of her neck, the front done up in a quaff.

Her heavily outlined silver-grey eyes frowned at the lack of attention and she gave one long lick up the side of his face.

Shuichi tilted his head towards her and grinned.

Eiri seethed silently and lit up another cigarette.

"Hey baby." The girl said in a pronounced English accent and winked. "Where the fuck have you been?"

Shuichi gestured vaguely at the rest of the table. "Catching up."

The girl noted the company and immediately her hackles seemed to rise. She glared hotly at them and settled herself on Shuichi's lap, flashing everyone at the table with an incredibly short plaid skirt. She crossed her fishnet-covered legs, her feet in stiletto heels.

Eiri glared at her.

She glared back.

Hiro swore he could see sparks literally flying between the two.

The sound of hurried breathing reached them and another girl hit the table and toppled over into Hiro who only just managed to keep his balance against the unexpected arrival.

"You alright?" He asked her.

"Jeez Autumn, clumsy much?" Shuichi remarked playfully.

Autumn glared at him. "Jeez Shuichi…shut your freaking gob okay?"

Unlike her counterpart, perched on Shu's knee, she was clearly American. She lacked the slender child-like body; her figure was much curvier though still slim.

The artfully tattered white peasant skirt hung low on her hips, a dark green vest top, laced on the front, adorned her upper body. Her feet were bare.

Her mass of dirty-blonde dreads, with some purple, black and pink mixed in, was swept off her face with a studded bandana. She looked at Hiro with the clearest green eyes he'd ever seen.

"I'm fine. Thanks for the whole superhero-esq. thing."

Eiri was staring at her with a strange look on his face.

Maiko looked confused. "So, um, are you guy's friends of Shu's?"

The blonde girl's death glare was transferred to her. "And you would be?"

Shuichi swatted at her. "Quit being such a bitch. She's my little sister."

It was like a switch-flip. The blonde smiled pleasantly at Maiko, looking for all the world like an innocent little girl.

Shu cleared his throat dramatically for the introductions. "Darlings, this is Tohma Seguchi; head of NG records and Nittle Grasper keyboarder, K Winchester; my former manager…he's got a gun, Ryuichi Sakuma; singer for Nittle Grasper, Hiroshi Nakano; my BFF and guitarist and Yuki Eiri; he writes sappy love novels that make girls orgasm."

Eiri snorted.

"These are my 'Rampage' band mates from England; this is Autumn Rose, guitar and back-up"

"Hey." Autumn flashed the peace sign.

"Is that your real name?" Maiko asked.

Autumn laughed. "Yeah, my parents used to be total hippies." She looked down at her outfit. "It's kind of hereditary, you know, just like having children." She laughed at their confused faces. "Having children is hereditary. As in, 'if your parents don't have children, chances are that you won't either' It's a joke. I do that."

Maiko laughed. "Right…"

"And you are?" Eiri directed this to the blonde; it wasn't meant to be polite.

"This is Dolly Rampage. She sings lead along with me."

"Is that your real name too?" Maiko asked her as well.

Dolly smiled at her. "Nope."

Shuichi smirked maliciously. "Her name is–"

Dolly clamped a hand over his mouth. "Not important." She said quickly.

K looked at her suspiciously, making a mental note to check out her background.

"Yeah," Shuichi continued happily. "She's my dearest, darling, beloved…wifey."

For the second time that day, Eiri stopped breathing.

* * *

_**Ugh, getting obsessed with this story now. I should be doing HW, studying for my mock exams, catching up on that assignment for Art History etc. Instead I write another chapter. Naughty, naughty. So, in case anyone asks. Maiko refers to Hiro at the beginning as "Nii-san" because he's like a big brother to her; it's like an affectionate nickname and Rampage is the name of Shu's band in England and yes, Shuichi is married. Can anyone guess what K figured out about Shu? Why was he wearing the sunglasses? dun, Dun, DUN! Find out in the next exciting instalment of Snow!**_

_**Oh, and by the by, the OC Autumn Rose was given birth to by my darling wifey Lollirotxox. It was a long msn labour. But I held her hand through it and we ended up with a beautiful OC. Really, I'm just the sperm donor. **_

_**The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame it on… (Applies to Tohma especially XD)**_

_**Love Queen Cocaine**_

_**xoxo**_


	3. Fey Queen

_**I figure I can update since I have my last mock exam tomorrow and it's Drama so I don't really need to study. I can just bullshit my way through the test right? Well here's hoping…and here's to reviewing! You guys make me want to update faster! **_

_**-**_

_**-**_

_**-**_

* * *

**Snow.**

-

Chapter Three.

* * *

-

-

-

* * *

One Year, Seven Months earlier.

Harlequin Manor.

England.

* * *

He sat up with a gasp.

**((aWAKE)) **

The room he was in was unfamiliar…though lately he'd been getting into the habit of waking up with no recollection of how he got there...and who he was with.

**((mEMORY))**

He rubbed his

**((gRITTY)) **

eyes with the back of his hand.

The room pulsed slightly.

A soft sigh sounded from beside him. He looked down at his newest partner.

**((sLUT))**

She was pretty.

**((gORGEOUS)) **

Her hair was long and silvery in the moonlight. It curled over her face, hiding her features. Her body was barely covered by the black silk sheet strewn across her waist.

Rounded

**((fAKE))**

breasts lay exposed.

He watched fascinated as the delicate pink nipples puckered in the cool night air.

**((Touch it))**

He reached out a finger curiously

**((Killed the cat)) **

and lightly ran his finger around the areola.

Her body tensed

**((cAUGHT))**

and relaxed again.

One long thin

**((Fey))**

arm lifted up and drew the curtain of hair back off her face to reveal enthrallingly childish features.

**((LiTtLe GiRl)) **

She regarded him with a sleepy smile and yawned cutely.

"Hello." She whispered.

He looked down at her, lost.

**((?)) **

This was not the first time the fairies had spoken to him. They were a regular occurrence in his life by now.

**((fIXED))**

Always there with their magic, ready to take away all the hurt.

**((wOE)) **

But this was the fairy queen.

**((rOYAL))**

The other fairies frolicked around her, dancing, touching, begging for her attention.

**((sEEKERS))**

She ruled over them all with her fey smiles and never-ending supply of magic.

She shined.

**((gLAMOUR)) **

She twinkled.

**((gLITTER)) **

She sparkled brighter than them all.

**((dIAMOND gIRL)) **

Brighter than he even did.

**((eCLIPSED)) **

He longed to touch her, absorb her glamour into himself.

**((sTEAL iT)) **

Maybe he'd sparkle again.

**((mAYBE nOT))**

"What's your name darling?" She turned on her side and watched him inquisitively, her head propped up on her arm.

Shuichi found his voice.

**((mISPLACED)) **

"What's yours?"

**((cROAK)) **

She grinned mischievously. "I asked you first. And since you're in _my_ bed, it's only polite to introduce yourself."

He found himself enchanted by the movements of her lips as she spoke.

**((dISTRACTION))**

A thought popped unbidden into his head; how lips were supposed to be a representation of another part of the female anatomy…

A small pink tongue poked out and

**((aCHINGLY)) **

licked across them.

He shivered and looked into her impish gaze.

"Like what you see? Greedy boy."

Her eyes were silver too; a light almost white surrounded by a darker grey ring.

**((fAERIE eYES)) **

His mouth moved of its own accord. "Shuichi. I'm Shuichi."

"Shuu-eechi" She tried out.

"Shu, if you like." He offered.

She beamed at him. "Shu it is. I'm Dolly."

**((dOLLY dARLING pLAY wITH mE)) **

He felt warm inside.

**((hOT))**

Special.

He knew her name.

She saw fit to gift him with this knowledge.

**((pRESENT)) **

"Are you a fairy?" He blurted out.

She looked surprised for a second before a delighted look flew across her features.

"Can you keep a secret?" She whispered, leaning close.

**((sECRETS)) **

He nodded and leant forward as well.

"I'm the fairy _queen_."

His eyes went wide and he looked at her in a new light.

**((mAJESTY)) **

"I guess that makes you my royal consort."

He shook his head.

"No?" She asked amused.

His eyes filled with tears

**((cry baby cry)) **

and she sat up concerned.

"Shuichi?"

"I'm…I'm not worthy. I'm evil. I'm bad."

**((worthless,dirty,sinful))**

She smiled sadly. "We fairies aren't totally pure either. We can be spiteful creatures, full of malevolence and wickedness."

**((fALLEN aNGELS))**

"You know," She stroked his dirty hair lovingly. "Since I told you my secret…how about you tell me yours?"

**((oPEN uP))**

And he did.

Everything came out.

Every secret.

Every lie.

Every thought.

Every tear.

Every pain.

**((wORD vOMIT))**

"But I'm holding out for tomorrow." He confided."Tomorrow will shine brighter."

The fairy queen laughed. "Silly child, why build your life around the concept of "tomorrow"? Tomorrow doesn't exist."

**(("…Live in the now."))**

**-**

**-**

**-**

* * *

Present day.

Tasogare Heights.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

"So…? How are you feeling?" Hiro fell on the couch, startling the man already sitting on it.

"How did you get in my apartment?" Eiri demanded, barely saving his beer.

"I mean," Hiro continued, paying no attention to his companion. "You're bound to feel something."

"Go take your fucking psyche advice somewhere else Nakano." Eiri spat.

"Who knew the kid had it in him?" Hiro stretched across one side of the lounge suite. "Shindou Shuichi…married."

He cast a sly glance at Eiri who was furiously puffing away on an extinguished butt. "Wed, hitched, taken off the market..._permanently_."

"…Get your feet off my couch." Eiri stood up abruptly.

Hiro followed him into the kitchen. "Aren't you even the least bit upset?"

Eiri opened the fridge and took out a beer, not offering one to his guest. "Why should I care if the brat's got himself a wife?" He drained the can and reached for another.

"Because," Hiro leant against the bench so he could lean his face right down beside the author's. "You lo–"

"Here." Eiri shoved a beer in his face, effectively cutting Hiro off.

"Gee, thanks Yuki." Hiro smirked at him. "Your 'hospitality' is unmatched."

"…Don't call me that."

-

-

-

* * *

One Year, Seven Months earlier.

Harlequin Manor.

England.

* * *

He was lost.

That much was certain.

This place was huge

**((mAZE))**

with multiple hallways and staircases moving in all directions.

He tried to remember the fairy queen's vague instructions on how to get to the kitchen.

She noticed he was hungry and suggested

**((oRDERED)) **

he go eat while she slept away the rest of her comedown.

He wasn't at that stage yet.

**((wIRED))**

So he left her room

**((sANCTUARY)) **

to venture out the rest of the house.

**((mANSION)) **

Now, eighteen turns, three staircases and several dead ends later, he was

**((aLMOST)) **

entirely sure that he was lost.

Worse still, he suspected his brain was starting to work again.

That was always a rare

**((uNPLEASANT))**

occurrence.

**((sUPPRESSED))**

He needed more magic.

**Growl. **

And some food too.

A left, left, right, and he found himself not the kitchen, but in front of an acceptable alternative nonetheless.

A small blue bowl with an artistically arranged selection of apricots was placed

**((temptingly))**

on a mahogany table in front of him.

She _had _said to help himself…

**((gREED)) **

He rearranged the fruit to account for the missing one.

**((cRAFTY)) **

Taking a bite, he almost gagged.

**((bITTER))**

Talk about unripe fruit.

Oh well, food was food and this should tide him over until he found the kitchen.

**((oNWARDS fAIR sIR)) **

Right. Right. Left. Upstairs. Wait– Downstairs. Left.

He wiped his brow, it was dry but he still felt overheated.

**((sWEATING)) **

He shook his head and moved on.

A sudden roll of nausea had him stumble against the ornately-patterned wall.

**((sICK)) **

Maybe he shouldn't have eaten that apricot.

The colours were spinning, blurring together to create

**((sUPER cOLOUR)) **

a whirlpool that was sucking, sucking, sucking him in.

Enveloping him in its psychedelic world.

He could taste the colours on his tongue.

They tasted like a rainbow.

**((mAGICAL)) **

He pressed his tongue against the wall, absorbing the colours orally into his brain.

The pink flowers tasted blue and the gilded border design felt orange.

**((aNAESTHESIA)) **

"Woah, crazy."

**((mAD)) **

He stumbled along gracelessly, dragging his tongue along the wall greedily.

**((gULA)) **

He felt intoxicated

**((dRUNK)) **

by the cornucopia of favours and colours invading his senses.

He staggered and fell against the hard wooden floor.

He could felt each individual grain press into his skin, imprinting their images forever into him.

**((tATTOO)) **

He laughed out loud.

**((mANIACAL)) **

A thunderbolt of footsteps flashed before his eyes, cartoon lightning, raining down from the ceiling.

He rolled into the wall, dodging the vivid sound.

_They_ were coming.

Who _they_ were, he did not know.

But they were coming.

**((qUICK!)) **

He slipped clumsily onto his feet and tipped into the nearest room, spilling onto the tiled floor with a thump.

**((bOOM)) **

The door slammed shut behind him.

He panted; arms over his head, curled up into a ball to expose as little of himself as he could.

**((hIDE hIDE lITTLE rABBIT)) **

There was silence.

He looked up to find himself in a bathroom.

Slowly

**((Cautious)) **

he sat up, unfolding himself carefully like a brochure, hyperaware of his surroundings.

**((sILENCE)) **

He moved towards the door handle.

It moved away.

He tried again.

It remained tantalisingly out of reach.

**((tAUNTING)) **

He lunged at it.

Hitting the door with a crash and sliding down to heap at the bottom.

It still didn't open.

**((pANIC))**

His breath came in short bursts and he curled into himself again.

He wanted Yuki.

**((yuki,yuki,yuki)) **

So badly.

His chest ached with it.

He pressed a hand against his chest, it felt weird, rubbery.

**Ba-dum. **

The walls pulsed.

They rippled gently like waves were making their way across the surface.

He shook.

(**(nothappeningnothappening)) **

"_Shuichi." _

His head shot up.

"_Hey Brat."_

"Yuki? Where are you?"

"_I'm over here moron." _

He crawled over, following the sound of the voice and peered down. He could just make out Yuki's features, rippling slightly in the water.

"Yuki…what are you doing in the toilet?"

Yuki-in-the-loo rolled his eyes. _"I'm here to get you out. You _do_ want to get out don't you?"_

**((eSCAPE)) **

"Yeah…but–"

"_Then hurry up! Climb into my mouth." _He opened his mouth wider and wider until it filled the entirety of the bowl.

"Okay, I'm coming Yuki!" He smiled at the toilet bowl.

First one foot, then the other, he clambered into the toilet and crouched, trying to fit as much as his body as possible in the porcelain bowl.

**((I'mcomingyuki))**

The door flew open.

**((bang,crash,boom)) **

"You foreign?"

He looked up.

**((?)) **

A girl stood leaning against the doorframe.

Not the fairy queen.

**((dolly,dolly,dolly)) **

This one had long wavy dirty-blonde hair, messed up from sleep. She was dressed in a pair of plaid pyjama pants and a loose grey tank top, clearly just come from her bed.

"I mean, that's not really the way we do things around here. But, you know, if it's your culture or whatever…"

He stared at her.

**((?)) **

"So…what's your name kid?"

Her eyes stung him; they flickered out at him like green lasers and burnt where they touched.

**((zAP)) **

"Ouch." He muttered.

"Huh? Oouch? Weird name. Wow, you _are _foreign." She stepped closer.

**((zAP)) **

He panicked, trying harder to get to Yuki.

"Yuki! Help me!"

"Um, sure dude, whatever." She seized him by the elbows and pulled hard.

**((yANK)) **

He toppled out, spilling toilet water all over the bathroom floor.

**((nonononononono)) **

"Hey! Quit struggling!"

He pulled free of her grip and staggered into the hallway, collapsing against the wall.

The colours didn't seem so pretty now.

Now they were surrounding him.

**((sUFFOCATING))**

Up his nose, down his throat, in his ears.

He scrubbed at his face furiously.

Hands gripped his and pulled them away.

The lasers shot directly into his eyes.

**((zAP)) **

He screamed and threw up his arms to protect himself.

"Oh man, you're totally tripping."

"Apricots." A new voice spoke.

"Huh?" The girl turned to face the new arrival. "Oh, hey Dolly. Did we wake you?"

He looked up. **((sAVIOR))**

The fairy queen

**((dolly,dolly,dolly))**

gazed at them tiredly in the dim hallway.

He gave a strangled cry and threw himself at her, burying his face in the half buttoned shirt she was wearing as nightwear.

She pressed a kiss on the top of his head and wrapped her arms around him.

**((cOMFORT)) **

"It was a six apricot centrepiece…there are five apricots." She continued.

"Ohhhh…_those_ apricots." The non-fairy queen gave a bark of laughter. "No wonder he's completely fucked."

"Hey Shu." He looked up. "This is Autumn." The fairy queen gestured to the other girl. "She likes to inject acid into pieces of fruit."

Autumn twisted a strand of hair around her finger. "I'm also thinking of getting dreads. What do you think?"

-

-

-

* * *

Present day.

Imperial Hotel.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

"_She's a Man-eater!  
Make you work more!  
Make you spend more!  
Make you want all, of her love…_"

"...You are entirely too gay for a guy who's married."

Shuichi grinned at the upside down male in front of him. "You wish I was gay. Want to shag me then?"

"I– Um, what?" He spluttered.

Shuichi rolled from his position, draped backwards over the edge of the bed, and winked. "Chillax Danny. I was just kidding."

The drummer rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Oh, yeah, I knew that. Heh. Hilarious." He sat beside Shuichi on the bed, making sure to keep his distance just in case.

There was silence as they stared at each other.

"You know what?" Shuichi whispered, his eyes wide. "_We_ should kiss,"

Danny's face went a peculiar shade of red; the colour clashing strangely with his caramel skin. "I, um, alright…but just to stop the awkwardness."

He leant forward.

Shuichi watched him get closer and closer.

Their lips millimetres apart.

"What. The. Fuck. You. Fucking. Poofter."

Danny's eyes went wide and he threw himself backwards off the bed. "I, I just, I was just jerking you about." He laughed awkwardly. "Wrong choice of words."

Shuichi glared at him. "Are you a fucking fag Danny?"

"'Course not! I hate ga– I mean, I don't _hate_–"

"So now you're a homophobe?"

"_No!_"

"Then what is it Danny? You're giving me mixed signals here."

"I, I'm just, what I mean to say is–"

Shuichi gave a burst of slightly maniacal laughter.

"Dude! Don't do that Shu. You know it makes me nervous when you laugh like that."

"Fucking idiot. I'm just messing with you. Quit being so high-strung."

"Fuck you!"

"I thought we'd already established this…" Shu shot him a saucy wink. "I'm off the market baby."

"Are you hitting on my hubby Danny Starr?" Dolly pounced on the drummer and growled.

"Nooooo…" Danny shook his head furiously. "Of course not. He's your property and all."

"He's objectifying me…" Shu commented dryly.

"…would never destroy the sanctity of marriage, you took vows and they count…loads. And trust me when I say I would _never_ dishonour…"

"What the fuck is he on about?" Shu stage-whispered to Dolly.

They both watched in fascination as Danny talked himself into oblivion.

"Oh my god. Would you _shut up_?!" Dolly yelled. Danny cut himself off in mid-sentence. "You're so easy to screw with it's not even remotely entertaining anymore."

"Burn." Shuichi commented again.

"Fuck you guys are dicks." Autumn rolled her eyes. "Maybe if you left the poor guy alone he wouldn't be such a stuttering wreck."

"Thanks Autumn…I think." Danny frowned in contemplation as to whether he was just saved or insulted.

Shuichi bounced up off the bed. "Who is up for experimenting with the drinks bar?"

"Your pants blind me." Dolly remarked conversationally.

Being out of the public eye, Shuichi had changed into a more relaxing ensemble consisting of pair of bright orange UFO's and a tight black shirt.

"Your beauty blinds me." Shu shot back smoothly.

Dolly giggled.

Danny stared. "How does he do that?"

"An equally idiotic audience?" Autumn guessed.

"Oh stuff it you dirty hippy." Dolly mock-glared at her.

"We've been through this people! I may be a hippy…but I fucking bathe, okay??"

"Sweet." said Shu.

"Never doubted you for a second." amended Danny.

"Lies."

"Shut up Dolly."

"Anyone got any mushrooms?" Asked Shuichi randomly.

They stared at him.

"You know…the magic kind."

"Nope, I have some Coke though." offered Dolly, holding up a packet of white powder. "Or else I have E, but I was thinking of saving it for the clubs."

"I was about to light up a joint." Autumn reached for her pouch.

Danny shrugged and ran a hand through his Fohawk. "I was just going to mooch."

"Weren't you already off your face today though?" Autumn asked, half-concentrating on rolling. "The stress of meeting your old friends and all."

Shuichi poured a random combination of liquors from the mini bar into a shaker. "Well, now I'm sober."

"That's easy to fix." Dolly grinned wickedly. "Be a good boy Danny and fetch me a mirror and a razor."

"I'm going to snort lines with Dolly until I'm unconscious." Danny rolled over and sat up. "Have fun doing that with your herbal cigarette."

"Aren't drug binges fun?" Dolly commented dreamily.

Autumn rolled her eyes, smiling slightly as she twisted the end of the joint and placed it in her mouth.

**Knock. Knock. Knock. **

"Oh fuck." She spat it out again.

"Who the fuck is that?" Danny paused on his way to the ensuite.

"Visitors!" Dolly tossed the cocaine to Danny who caught it…barely.

She peered through the peephole. All she could see was pink. Then the pink moved back and a stuffed rabbit became visible.

"Oh look! A bunny." She threw open the door. "Hello! I think I met you just before!"

"Na no da!" Ryuichi sung in reply, hugging Kumagoro to his chest. "Hi there pretty lady. Is Shu-chan home?"

"You're Sakuma-san right?"

"No! Ryu-chan! Ryu-chan!" Ryuichi demanded.

"Aww...You are _so adorable_!" Dolly squealed, clapping her hands.

Ryuichi looked down at her in confusion before a dopey grin spread across his features. "You're Shu-chan's wifey!"

"That I am!"

The grin disappeared. Ryuichi took on a new demeanour, Kumagoro lay forgotten in his hand. "Then you must be the one to keep him safe."

Dolly raised an eyebrow. "Well, I do try."

"Try harder."

"Ryuichi?" Shuichi appeared at the door, a frosted glass of cerise liquid in his hand. "What are you doing here?"

The grin appeared once more and Ryuichi flew at him. "Shu-chan!"

They toppled over, the liquor staining the crème carpet.

Dolly peered at it. "Oops…what a waste." She sighed.

Her eyes narrowed as she took in the position Shuichi and Ryuichi landed in. Her possessive streak kicked in and she resisted the urge to throw the newcomer out their top-floor balcony.

A better idea occurred to her.

A smirk fluttered onto her features. "Hey Ryu-chan…you like _magic_?"

* * *

_**So devious is Dolly Rampage. Lol, you'll grow to love her. This story is like Wonderland. A lot of it is not what it seems. I'm sure you'll understand better later on. For now, just give her a chance. Catch the "magic" references? I don't know, there seems to be an element of make believe, like fairies and magic. I love that sort of stuff. I'm pretty much glamorizing drugs but my dears, it's all part of the plot. I sort of threw the Hiro and Eiri scene in there to kind of give a glimpse into how their relationship works. I've read so many runaway Shu fics where Hiro and Eiri absolutely hate each other and blame one another for it happening. I'm sure it could go both ways and they accidentally end up bonding. It happens. And in the last scene I introduce the final member of Rampage; Danny Starr. (He took his name as a tribute to Ringo btw.) He's kind of a nerd. Anyways, peace out and all that jazz. Till next time folks!**_

_**Suicide hotline…please hold. **_

_**Love Queen Cocaine**_

_**xoxo**_


	4. Mr Rothford

_**I'm getting good at this writing chapters thing. I pretty much did this whole thing in one day. Ha. Beat that. **_

* * *

One Year, Five Months earlier.

* * *

**Dial. **

**Ring. Ring.**

"Moshi Moshi? Yuki Eiri speaking."

**Breathe. **

"…_Shuichi_?"

**Hang up.**

-

-

-

**

* * *

**

Snow.

-

Chapter Four

* * *

-

-

-

* * *

Present day.

Imperial Hotel.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

Everything was sparkly.

Glitter.

Glitter.

Glitter.

Sparkle.

Sparkle.

Sparkle.

Ryuichi laughed giddily to Kumagoro and waved bye-bye to sparkly Shu-chan's pretty pretty friends.

Shuichi himself left and went to go find Mr. Grumpy-pants author man but Ryu stayed and played with Dolly-chan, Autumn-chan and Danny-kun.

"Buh-bye minna!"

He had lots of fun.

After Dolly-chan gave him the magic that made everything sparkly, she decided to have a tea party and they all dressed up, even Kumagoro. And the tea sparkly sparkle sparkled and the sandwiches danced for him.

Autumn-chan said that was normal at Dolly's tea parties.

The magic was fun.

He wanted more but he knew Tohma would never let him. He always took away the fun things. Mean Tohma.

But, Ryuichi reasoned to himself, what Tohma didn't know wouldn't hurt him. And Ryu wasn't about to tell him.

"You won't tell him either, will you Kuma-chan?" He asked.

Kuma shook his head.

Ryu beamed at him. Kumagoro knew how to keep a secret.

Kumagoro liked the magic too; it made his fur go all pretty and twinkling.

"Sparkle, sparkle Kumagoro!" He sung, waving the rabbit around.

Kuma asked him to stop as he was getting sick.

"Sorry Kuma! Na no da!"

Kumagoro laughed and said he forgave him. He said he understood that the magic made Ryuichi act sparkly.

"Hey, Sakuma-san! What are you doing here?" Ryuichi spun around three times before his gaze fell on the speaker.

"You're…smokin'!" Ryuichi winked.

Hiro scratched his head. "Um…what?"

"Your head is on fire!" Ryu laughed manically.

Hiro gave him a weird look. "Is this where Shu is staying?"

"What kind of shoes?"

"Shu…ichi. Is this where Shindou Shuichi is staying?"

"I like sneakers but Mika-Mika likes to wear pointy high shoes that hurt when she kicks yo…yes he's staying on the top floor, penthouse." Ryuichi switched sentences randomly.

Hiro raised an eyebrow. "Right…Hey, does Seguchi-san know you're here?"

"…No…" Ryuichi's eyes suddenly welled up. "You won't tell him though? He'll get all mean and won't let me come back!"

"Hey," Hiro gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "Don't worry Ryuichi, your secret's safe with me."

Ryuichi grinned at him. "Domo Arigato Mr. Robato!" He bounced off down the hallway.

Hiro shook his head, "Weird guy…" before continuing on his way.

"What should we do now Kuma-chan?"

Kumagoro thought for a minute and then suggested they go visit Tats. Ryuichi squealed and threw him in the air and caught him. Kuma frowned at him.

"Oops, sorry Kumagoro. I forgot." He hugged the rabbit in apology.

"Pardon me…"

Ryuichi jumped as a hand came down firmly on his shoulder. "Eek! Kumagoro! Protect me!" He held the rabbit up between himself and then unknown attacker.

"Erm…" The man trailed off.

Ryu peeked around Kumagoro curiously.

The man was tall and foreign and the magic made him look even taller like one of those giants in the stories Noriko-chan sometimes read him. He smiled down at Ryuichi in a way he seemed to think was comforting.

"Noooooo!" Ryu screamed and flailed wildly. "Get away from my magic beans!"

The giant blinked. "I beg your pardon?" His British accent was quite pronounced and Ryuichi had a little trouble understand it.

"Fee fi fo fum to you too!!"

"Ah, I see who you've been congregating with." The giant sighed and ran a hang through his greying blonde hair.

Ryuichi stopped struggling. "Congra-what?" He asked, quizzically tilting his head.

"Hanging out? I think that's what the slang is these days." The giant laughed.

Kumagoro whispered that he was starting to like the man.

"Me too." Ryu confided.

"Hmm?" Giant-man bent down to Ryuichi's height and peered at Kumagoro. Kuma stared back unabashedly. "And who is this little fellow then?"

"This is Kumagoro!" Ryuichi said proudly. "And I'm Ryuichi Sakuma!"

"Oh how rude of me! My name is Redford Rothford."

Ryuichi giggled.

"It's a funny name isn't it! We like to have nice English names in my family. My daughter is called Dolores. I call her Lolita as a pet name."

Ryuichi grinned. "I don't have a daughter. But Nori-chan does! Na no da!"

"Na no da? What a curious expression! It reminds me of a friend I'm trying to find."

"Oh really?" Ryuichi's eyes lit up. "What is your friend called? Maybe I can help you find them! Na no da! After all, two eyes are better than one!"

Redford Rothford laughed. "Indeed they are! My friend is actually a group of friends. They're all in a band called Rampage. Their names are Dolly Rampage, Autumn Rose, Danny Starr and Shu Snow. Do you really think you could help me find them?"

Ryuichi almost burst with excitement!

What are the odds? Kumagoro said.

"Wow!" He clapped his hands together elatedly. Kumagoro squeaked but Ryu didn't hear him. "What a funny coincidence! Ha, ha. I was just playing with them!"

Redford looked pleased. "Right here in this hotel?"

Ryuichi nodded. "Yuss!"

"Oh that is fantastic news!"

"Are you Shuichi's friend?" Ryuichi asked.

"In a way. I'm his…manager. We've been trying to track down the naughty things for days!"

"Ooh! Did they run away?" Ryuichi asked, chewing on Kumagoro's ear.

"Like little rabbits." Red-giant pinched Kumagoro's ear and shook it slightly.

Kumagoro frowned.

Ryuichi shifted him out of the giant's grasp as subtly as he could without offending him.

Tohma said it was very important not to hurt people's feelings. Silly Tohma!

Like he could talk. He hurt people's feelings all the time. Especially Ryuichi's when he wouldn't let Tats-kun come to see Ryu sometimes.

That reminded Ryuichi that he was going to go visit his playmate.

Hopefully Tats would be finished with the boring old temple work and have time to play. Ryuichi hoped he was still in his monk clothes; Tat-kun looked pretty in his traditional robes.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Redfish Roof-fish, but me and Kuma have to go see Tats. Mmkay? Thank you, Bye-bye!" He ran off through the hotel lobby without waiting for an answer.

Redford Rothford watched him go with a slight smile. "No Mr. Sakuma. Thank _you_."

* * *

Present day.

The Park.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

Eiri Yuki hated being reminded.

He was a champion at the art of blocking out the things he didn't want to remember.

Removing all items that may cause him to recall, distancing himself from anyone who might invoke a memory. If there was a contest for shoving unwanted thoughts into a locked drawer in the depths of the mind, he would win hands down.

But there was one person who always _always_ managed to elude his mental spring-clean.

Shuichi Shindou was like the vivid on his mind's whiteboard.

He just. Wouldn't. Freaking. Erase.

Stuck there like age-old graffiti. Super-gluing his annoying reminders onto every square inch of Eiri's mind.

The scent of strawberries trailing past him on a breeze threw an image of ridiculous pink hair into his head. A long forgotten sock with an immature cow-print found behind the couch during his vigorous scouring of the apartment reminded him of the kid's annoying habit of running inside with socks on and skidding on the wooden floor.

He couldn't even watch television anymore without it showing a favourite program or some sort of asinine advertisement that had evoked a laugh once upon a time. Tatsuha had been banned from his apartment because he couldn't stand the sound of the brat's favourite band anymore. And don't even get him started on Nakano.

He considered moving to New York, Chicago, London…_New Zealand_!

Any where that would get him away from any and all reminder of Shuichi Shindou. But then, it occurred to him while taking down his suitcase, what if he came back?

So he resigned himself to a life of Shuichi.

Where the brat's best friend was now his best friend, where Nittle Grasper sounded throughout his apartment just to keep it from being too silent and where strawberry pocky still had a place in his cupboards – even if he never ate it.

And he still took his evening walks in the park which was still, in his mind, referred to as 'their park'.

He was positively disgusted with himself.

Eiri blew out a cloud of smoke, not bothering to create any fancy rings or clever shapes, and leant against the railing at 'their spot'.

'Their spot'? What the fuck was he on?

When had Eiri Yuki, unemotional bastard and certified heartbreaker, become so damn _soft_?

Soft, docile, yielding, supple, a doormat; his mind automatically provided him with several substitute synonyms.

_Their_ place.

_Their_ park.

'_Their'_ didn't exist anymore.

There was no 'them'.

'They' ceased to be.

Extinguished.

Gone.

Vanished.

Vamoose.

Any and all hope of reviving their relationship was killed off (assassinated more like) with the announcement that Shuichi, _his_ Shuichi, was married.

And not just to anyone.

He just _had_ to pick the most vicious, mouthy, presumptuous, aggravating, irritable, wanton female Eiri had ever met.

And no, he wasn't biased in the slightest.

She sat there, on his lap, like it was her _place_, her _right_.

Stupid tramp.

With her ridiculously short skirt and her smirking red lips. What the fuck did he see in her?

Even her mere presence was annoying.

And she glared at him.

_Glared_.

As if she was trying to warn him off from what was _his property_.

Like he'd stand for that. Silly little girl, trying to challenge, to intimidate him. How naïve.

Dolly – what kind of a name is that anyway? – had better watch her step, Eiri abruptly decided.

Why should he stand there and watch as his brat was taken away from his by some bimbo blonde? Who cared if they were married? It's not as if it stopped him before.

A trace of something, a smirk, played about his lips and he lit up another cigarette, suddenly feeling better than he had in years.

This would be fun.

It wouldn't even be a challenge.

Taking back his brat would be a piece of fucking strawberry shortcake.

The click of someone's shoes hitting a rock across the path snapped him out of his thoughts. His gold eyes flicked around, surveying his surroundings and came to rest on an approaching figure with a ridiculous hat.

A feeling of déjà vu came over him as the figure, who had obviously spotted him as well, halted a distance of ten metres away from him.

He could just make out the ridiculous outfit, which apparently went with the hat, in the dark.

The figure appeared to be wearing fitted trousers with an open smoking jacket from which a silk cravat protruded. The hat itself was an overly tall top hat with a comically large playing-card tucked into the satin band.

Eiri thought he looked like an idiot.

The person shoved their hands in their pockets and continued to stroll towards him until they stopped right in front of him.

Eiri realised it was his idiot.

"Nice night for it…" Shuichi said airily.

Under the light of the street lamp above them, Eiri could make out even more details in the absurd outfit. Like the fact that it was purple.

Aubergine in fact.

An aubergine velvet suit with a turquoise cravat.

It gave Eiri a headache just looking at it.

Tonal harmonisation was never the kid's strong point after all.

The band surrounding the black top hat was also the stinging shade of turquoise while the card protruding from it was an ace of spades.

Eiri took another drag on his cigarette. "And just what are you supposed to be?"

Shuichi looked at him oddly.

Eiri privately thought that was a bit rich of him.

"I'm the mad hatter of course." He said slowly as if a moron could have known.

That was rich of him too…moron.

Eiri decided to be charming. If he was going to steal away Shuichi from that hag, he'd need to be in his good books.

"It's a very clever depiction. You look…nice."

Dammit! This was harder than he thought.

How was it that he could charm the pants off any woman without even trying yet couldn't think of one good compliment for one guy.

_Nice_.

He hated 'nice'.

'Nice' is the least descriptive word in the English language.

And he called himself an author…

Shuichi frowned. "Don't do that."

"Do what?" Eiri said, putting every ounce of allure in his well-endowed body into those two words.

"Compliment me. It's…" He paused to think of a word.

Eiri thought of several; disconcerting, alarming, confusing, bewildering–

"…weird."

Or that would do.

"Whatever. Being pleasant to you is too much effort anyway."

Shuichi grinned. "There's the Eiri I know and love."

They both froze.

Um…what?

Shuichi made the mistake of looking up. He made eye contact and quickly inspected the ground awkwardly instead.

"…in a completely platonic way?" He amended.

Not for long, Eiri schemed.

"So, what brings you to my neck of the woods?" He asked boredly.

Shuichi sighed and leant against the railing beside him, staring up into the sky. "Well…apparently we need to talk."

"Oh yeah?" Eiri snorted. "Says who?"

"Autumn."

"She would." Eiri muttered.

"Danny says it would be 'detrimental to my mental health not to'…Wait, what?"

"Who?" Eiri asked, ignoring the question.

Shuichi looked at him doubtfully but decided to let it go. "Danny Starr, my drummer. He's a total nerd…or an 'intellectual' as he likes to call it. He's also a huge fan of you…r books."

"Oh really?" Eiri smirked. "Sounds like a good conversationalist, unlike some people. I might have to check him out."

He watched the brief look of jealousy flash onto Shuichi's face with an internal smirk.

That brat never could conceal his emotions. And frankly, it was nice to see at least some aspect of the old Shuichi.

This new model was unfamiliar, it made him slightly uncomfortable. Even his face looked different.

It was more…feminine, he decided.

Shuichi had obviously lost a lot of weight at some point; it made his cheeks more sunken and caused his cheekbones to become more pronounced. He lost his constant tan in the London climate and the resulting ivory complexion just enhanced his…prettiness.

Or it could just be because he was wearing makeup, Eiri thought drolly.

While he was studying Shuichi the kid himself was watching him right back. He appeared to be hungrily drinking in every detail of Eiri's face like he wanted to permanently imprint it in his memory.

This, Eiri decided, was too easy.

"So…_Shu-chan_."

He watched the emotions the nickname invoked flit across his brat's face with a sense of pleasure.

"You wanted to talk right?"

Shuichi nodded.

"Alright then. Dinner's on me."

* * *

Present day.

Imperial Hotel.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

Hiro decided not to dwell too much on the strange singer. He needed to focus on why he was here.

He was going to go see his formerly-AWOL best friend and get, if necessary strangle, some answers out of him.

Sounds like a plan.

He hadn't really gotten a good chance to speak with him before.

Perhaps he was a little hasty in attacking Shuichi but dammit! He disappears for over two years and suddenly he's back and expects everything to be dandy?

That was so…Shuichi.

Despite his faults, he loved the selfish little guy and was happy he was back.

After he pummels him for not inviting him to the wedding.

Seriously?

Was a damn postcard too much to ask for?!

Calm down, he told himself, we're going to talk to Shuichi calmly and sensibly.

And then we are going to rub it in Eiri Yuki's face that we got to do it first.

He chuckled aloud at that thought.

"Right."

He stood at the plain white door, at the end of a plainly decorated hallway, which separated him from his long-lost best friend.

"Let's do this."

One step.

And another.

And another.

Now we're getting into the pattern.

Almost there.

A little further.

Stop.

He was there. Now all that stands in his path is a plain white door.

It seemed ridiculous. All that stands before him and Shu is a piece of painted wood.

What was he so afraid of?

This was Shuichi.

The guy he grew up with.

The guy who's complete and utter determination, and bone-headedness, won them a record deal with NG.

The guy who came to him and cried on his shoulder on an almost daily basis.

This was Shuichi.

His attempt to console himself wasn't working in the least.

The fact was…that wasn't Shuichi.

The bubblegum-haired, loud, emotional spitfire that was his mental image of his best friend didn't fit in with the cool suave elegant man with the fancy accent.

They were technically both Shuichi.

But he only knew how to be friends with one of them.

So here he is.

Staring at a painted door.

Scared out of his mind at what was behind it.

He dragged a shaking hand through his long red hair and banished the fear.

Shuichi was Shuichi. Best friends, no matter what.

He knocked.

There was a crashing sound, the tinkle of broken china and a bout of maniacal laughter. Hiro swallowed suddenly feeling very unsure of himself.

"Oh my god! Would you guys shut up?"

The door flew open.

It was the girl from before, wearing a pair of rabbit ears. The one who fell on him in the café. She recognised him too and her smile widened. "Hey! You're my hero!"

Hiro returned her grin. "Hey yourself. Summer right?"

"Autumn," She correctly, waving a casual hand. "But whatever, it's still a season."

"Autumn. Right." Hiro committed it to memory. "Um, is Shuichi home?"

The girl winced. "Dude! You just missed him."

Hiro felt disappointment weigh down in his stomach. "Oh."

"Yeah, he went to go have a deep and meaningful with Eiri."

Damn.

"Okay, sorry for bothering you. See you Autumn." He turned to leave.

"Hey wait!"

"Huh?" He looked over his shoulder.

"You, um," She toyed with one of her dreads. "You can hang out with us you know. Like, until he comes back."

He turned round fully. "Really?"

She blushed. "Yeah! I mean, we're kind of mad, and I can't really guarantee that you'll come out of it with your sanity intact…or your clothing. But the invitation's there."

Hiro considered it. On the one hand he could…what? Go home? Wait for another opportunity? There wasn't really anything to compare it with.

"I'd like that." He said.

She beamed. "Come on, the tea's getting cold."

"…tea?"

She flashed him a wicked grin. "Yep...it's _herbal_."

-

-

-

* * *

Present day.

La Belle Epoch.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

La Belle Epoch was built for lasting impressions.

It was the chosen eating place of the elite and those with cash to spare. But there was no chance getting in without reserving months ahead…unless you were Eiri Yuki and had a close friendship with the owner.

The author smirked as he boldly led his companion past the lines of objecting couples in their finery.

"Hey! We were here first! We've had these reservations for months!"

"Shhh, don't you know who that is?"

Eiri felt amused that they were so dressed up while he was wearing a midnight blue shirt, casually undone to the third button and black dress slacks and the brat was wearing his lurid Wonderland outfit.

He smiled winningly at the female maître d who returned it with a bow. "Good evening Uesugi-sama. May I assist in aquiring you and your lovely companion a table?" She clicked her fingers and a young man in waiter's finery appeared instantly. "Take _special _care of Uesugi-sama and his guest, Taro-kun."

"Of course." The boy, Taro, bowed. "This way sir."

They followed him through the maze of tables to a slightly more secluded area near the edge of the room. They thanked him and sat down.

Taro disappeared and reappeared with a bottle of champagne. "With compliments from Murakami Ai-sama." He said, popping the bottle with a practised ease and pouring it into two crystal flutes.

"Who?" Shuichi asked with a mild interest.

"The owner." Yuki hissed.

Shuichi shrugged. "All right. Tell her thanks."

Eiri rolled his eyes.

"Yes sir." Taro bowed again. "Would you like to look at the entrée menu sir?"

"No need." Eiri shook his head. "Forget starters. I'll have fillet mignon; medium rare, and duck for the kid."

The waiter bowed again and left.

Shuichi looked over with an amused smirk. "Ordering for me?"

"I enjoy enhancing your cultural culinary awareness." Eiri replied smoothly.

"For all you know I could be a sophisticated connoisseur of cultural culinary delights." Shu replied with a sparkle in his eye.

"I doubt it." Eiri responded.

"Is this a date?" Shuichi demanded.

"You really don't piss around do you?"

"You didn't answer."

"You're the one who suggested we 'talk'." Eiri shot back.

"You're the one who decided we'd do it over dinner in a classy French restaurant." Shuichi took a gulp of the champagne.

Eiri frowned. "Steady on. You really don't want to get trashed this early on."

Shuichi gave a rueful smile. "Wow, you _really_ don't know me anymore, Eiri."

Eiri snorted. "Fine. Let's play twenty questions. I ask one, you ask one and so on. I'll start."

He tried to think of an easy question, to ease Shu into it before he started hitting hard.

"You haven't cried at all the entire time I've seen you. Why?"

Shuichi shrugged. "I don't remember how to."

Eiri raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

Shuichi shook his finger at him. "Nuh-uh! My turn. What the fuck is up with you and Hiro? You guys dating or what?"

Eiri smirked at the blatant probing. "After you…left," fucked off, ran away, abandoned me "We kind of bonded over it. Became…friends." He chewed the unfamiliar word in his mouth.

Taro returned laden with steaming artfully decorated plates he placed in front of them.

Shuichi took a bite. "Hmm…you're right. This is good."

Eiri hid his smirk under the guise of tasting his own food. It was a symphony of flavours, as was to be expected for sixteen thousand yen a plate.

"So," he said as Shuichi swallowed. "What's your favourite of my books?"

He had been curious as to whether Shuichi had actually read any of them after referring to them as 'sappy love novels'. Considering he killed any chance at a happy ending in every single one he didn't see how they could be classed as 'sappy'. They were barely in the romance category.

He allowed the singer a brief moment of thought before tapping his finger in a show of impatience to hurry him along.

Shu got the hint but continued to milk it for a few more seconds. "Your latest."

Eiri appraised him. "It's not out yet." He pointed out.

Shuichi shot him a wicked grin. "Yes, but each one is better than the last so I'm just going along with the pattern." He batted his eyes, mock-flirtation.

Eiri was beginning to like this side of Shuichi. He wondered how he missed it before.

"Unless you make an epic fail with this one in which case I would choose 'Gravitation'." The brat added with badly-concealed delight.

"Ah."

That book.

The one that happened to have written in it; _'For Shuichi – as if you'll ever read this.'_

The book he'd more than once caught himself referring to as 'Shu's book'. Only in his mind of course but that such a _sappy _thought had occurred was nauseating.

Shuichi, it appeared, was well aware of this and spent a few moments basking in his discomfort.

That brat.

"Your favourite song of mine?" Shuichi was apparently done with his mental gloating.

Time for a little payback.

"In the moonlight." He replied promptly.

Shuichi blushed and dipped his head to hide it. Eiri took great delight in watching those pale cheeks stain with colour as the blood rushed in.

It caused his blood to rush to…other areas.

If this was then he would have stood up immediately, taken the brat home and had his way with him all night long. But this was not then. This was now and the brat was now otherwise occupied bed wise.

He cast a haughty glare at the plain platinum band on Shuichi's finger. He would have gotten the kid a diamond.

If he'd ever actually planned to propose.

This was ludicrous. It was a primitive urge to take back what was his. Shuichi gets hitched to someone else and he decides he wants to.

He'd never had dreams of a marital union with the brat before; he'd been perfectly comfortable with where they were at the time. And he thought Shuichi was too.

"Why did you leave?"

Shuichi looked startled at the abrupt comment. Eiri didn't have time for silly little impatient gestures like tapping his finger this time. His direct gaze was focused completely on the one opposite him.

Shuichi's tongue flicked out to moisten his lips and he took a generous drink of champagne. Finally he sighed. "The thing is…"

Eiri leaned forwards in subconscious anticipation.

"…I don't remember."

Eiri deflated.

Shuichi looked directly at him. "...but, I kind of wish I could."

Eiri realised that he wasn't the only one skilled in the art of repressing unwanted memories.

-

-

-

* * *

Present Day.

NG Records.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

K was a suspicious person.

This gut instinct he had that pretty much every single person he meets is going to attempt to stab him in the back had saved his ass on more than one occasion. So, he stuck with it.

This was especially the case in dealing with his vivacious wife who, though he meant the world to her and she to him, wouldn't baulk at screwing him over to get her own way.

This was proven time and time again, cementing his distrust for the world into his very being.

This suspicion was what brought him here, to this very spot, fishing for information on a computer he really was not supposed to be using.

Oh well, it's not as if Tohma would notice if he…'borrowed' it for a bit. The CEO had a collection of information that would prove very valuable to his cause.

This was potentially a matter of life or death for his charge.

After all, technically, since Shuichi never verbally _said_ he was quitting the band, he was still part of Bad Luck and thus was lucky enough to still have K as his manager.

K therefore had his best interests at heart.

Ah, screw it.

He was curious.

He brought up the celebrity profiles for the members of popular British band 'Rampage'.

* * *

_Autumn Rose_: **Autumn Rainbow Sunburst Moonshine Rose **((…she wasn't kidding when she said her parents were hippies…))  
Hair: **Blonde  
**Eyes: **Green**  
Mother: **Sarah "Serenity" Rose. (Deceased.)  
**Father:** Klaus "Cloud" Floyd Rose. (Deceased.)**  
Ethnicity: **American.**  
Age: **24**  
Height: **5'3**

* * *

K scanned down the rest of the profile and rested on the section 'Additional notes'. Well, isn't that interesting? He smirked to himself and brought up the next one.

* * *

_Danny Starr_: **Dhanesh Sarin**  
Hair: **Brown/Blonde  
**Eyes: **Brown**  
Mother:** Anna Sarin (mother)  
**Father: **Parag Sarin (father)  
**Ethnicity: **Indian/British.  
**Age: **26  
**Height: **6'1**

* * *

_Shu Snow_: **Shuichi Shindou  
**Hair: **Blonde.** (("What?" K muttered to himself))  
Eyes: **Violet.  
**Mother: **Shizuka Shindou (mother)  
**Father: **Makoto Shindou (father) (Deceased.)  
**Ethnicity: **Japanese  
**Age: **22  
**Height: **5'5**

* * *

_Dolly Rampage_: …

* * *

K smirked.

"…bingo."

* * *

_**What has K found out? And who is the mysterious new Redford Rothford? And what the hell happened in that tea party? Who knows? I know. Cassie knows. You'll know…eventually. As well as the truth behind their visit...and about Shuichi's hair colour. Review and I update a lot faster… not really but I still like to read them. **_

**_Edit 10/10/08: I realise that I wrote the wrong age for Shuichi. It annoyed me so i've changed it. Therefore i had to change Autumn's_** **_age too. XOXO_**

_**If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends? **_

_**Love Queen Cocaine**_

_**xoxo**_


	5. Danny Boy

_**Hey guys, random question before I get too far into the chapters… The scenes from the past, can you guys figure out they're in the past or should I write some sort of indication. Like "Past" and "Present" or the date…which will be hard cos I'm terrible at dates. I mean, I will write out a timeline if you realllly want me to. Maybe. **_

_**Also I won't be updating for like a month, I have my final exams/study leave. Because, holy fuck I'm graduating tomorrow! So won't see you for a bit. Ciao babies!**_

_**-**_

_**-**_

_**-**_

**

* * *

**

Snow.

-

Chapter Five.

* * *

_**-**_

_**-**_

_**-**_

* * *

One Year, Five Months earlier.

Harlequin Manor.

England.

* * *

He was curled against the wall, his body curved around the silent phone clasped in his trembling hands.

**((dIAL tONE))**

He cradled the

**((bABY)) **

phone to his chest.

His body shook softly with quiet sobs.

**((cRYBABY))**

Pathetic.

He did it again.

**((sTALKER))**

They were right, it wasn't healthy.

**((sICKNESS)) **

It was like an addiction.

Dialling the numbers was like taking a particularly good hit.

**((NA)) **

He would know.

**(dIRTY dRUG aDDICT)) **

Being the creature that he was now.

The playground creep parents warned their children about.

**((fILTH)) **

He disgusted himself.

**((yUCK)) **

He missed his old life.

**((pAST,pRESENT,fUTURE))**

What he could remember of it.

**((bLURRED)) **

The pills made it fuzzy, little details he couldn't pick out, couldn't remember.

There was a reason he left.

He could feel it. A slow ache in the depths of his heart, it prickled over his skin, made him sick.

**((hEARTACHE)) **

But what it was he could not remember.

He tried to gather up the courage to investigate

**((pRIVATE eYE))**

the issue but every time he dialled that addicting number, that seemed to be tattooed into his very skin, every time he heard that voice, he broke.

**((sMASH)) **

Everything was hazy, like a veil had been cast over his past.

He could remember a long flash of red, it calmed him, like phantom arms were wrapped tight around him.

**((hIRO)) **

He could remember flickers of gold, a surge of heat flowed through his body, burning fingertips along his body.

**((yUKI)) **

It hurt his brain.

**((hEADACHE)) **

He wanted some more magic.

It made the horrible thoughts fly away, left him in a pleasant daze.

**((bUZZED)) **

Maybe he should find Dolly. She always had magic.

**((fAIRY qUEEN)) **

She was probably looking for him.

A soft creak sounded down the dark hallway. He didn't know how long he'd been in that position, curved into the wall as if he could just sink into it and not exist.

**((vANISHED)) **

He felt confused.

He was in a shell, so close to breaking out but not quite managing it.

**((eGG)) **

His grip tightened around the phone, tighter and tighter until the plastic covering cracked. He crooned softly to it.

**((lULLABY)) **

"_Nen nen cororiyo, ocororiyo_…"

**((Go to sleep, go to sleep))**

His voice ghosted down the hall, reaching the ears of the small figure approaching.

"Shu?"

"_Boya wa yoiko da, nen ne shina..."_

**((You are a good boy, go to sleep)) **

Dolly bent down in front of the rocking boy. "Sweetling?" She ran a hand through his white-blonde hair.

He automatically leant into her touch.

**((kITTY)) **

"Shu. Shuichi, look at me." Her hands gently but firmly guided his tear-stained face up to look into her own.

**((lOOKaTmE)) **

He sniffled again and clutched the phone tighter.

**((bABY)) **

She took it all in at once. "Oh darling." She pulled him into her, her thin arms tightening around him.

**((mOTHERING)) **

"Again?"

He buried his face in her curls; she smelt of French perfume and the musky aroma of sex. It was obvious where she'd just been.

"Sorry." Shuichi managed to mutter through the lump in his throat.

**((iNTERUPTER)) **

"What for?" She drawled nonchalantly, still cradling him.

He didn't answer and she didn't enquire further. They sat on the floor, moulded into each other without any awareness of time until the stiffness of their limbs forced them to shift.

**((rIGID)) **

Dolly leant back against the wall and took out a slightly squashed packet from her top. She extracted a slim white-filtered cigarette and placed it between her lips while she searched for a lighter in her bra.

"So…" She paused to put the flame against the cigarette and inhaled deeply.

The sight of the smoke escaping from between her lips caused a prickling in Shuichi's skin.

**((mEMORIES)) **

Like it signified something deeper.

"I am guessing that you've been skipping out on your meds again."

**((dRUGGIE))**

"They make me lethargic." He countered indifferently. He pulled the cigarette from her fingers and stole a puff before returning it.

"Ah yes, they tend to do that." Dolly took another long drag. "But, our darling Autumn insists you take the capitalist prescription shit. Kind of paradoxical for a hippy if you think about it."

"Hn." Shuichi gave a non-committed grunt.

Dolly flashed him a wicked grin. "So, how have you been going about it then? Pulling the organic wool over the tree hugger's eyes?"

"Switched them with Ritalin."

"Naughty! Naughty!"

**((bADbOY)) **

Shuichi tilted his head back against the wall and looked towards the ceiling. "Fine for a cheap buzz but it doesn't make me forget. It's not…you know, _magic_ enough."

Dolly laughed. "You, Shu Snow, make me a bad influence!"

She shifted till she was on her knees in front of him and held out her empty hand for him to inspect. "Watch this!"

She closed her hand into a fist and moved her other hand in the air over it three times. With a dramatic flick she opened it again to reveal two small white pills. "How's _that_ for magic?"

Shu giggled.

Dolly popped both the pills in her mouth and leant over. Shuichi understood her game at once and pulled her to him, pressing their lips together. His mouth opened immediately and accepted the pill she pushed into his mouth with her tongue.

They separated briefly and swallowed before Dolly pushed against Shu and knocked him to the floor, straddling him.

"This is going to be so much fun when it kicks in!" She giggled.

Shuichi smirked and suddenly flipped them over.

Dolly let out a small grunt of pain as she hit the wooden floor. She glared up at him and raked her nails up his bare arms in revenge, leaving angry red marks across the pale flesh.

Shuichi hissed in pleasure and bent down to capture her lips again, biting hard on the bottom one. When she gasped he took and opportunity and licked into her mouth. She flicked her tongue against his and drew it further into her mouth so she could suck on it.

Shuichi felt increasingly warmer as sparks began to fizzle against his skin where it made contact. He pulled away briefly to nibble on her neck for a while. She leant back to give him more access as he bit down hard, hard enough to draw blood. He sucked harder, drinking in as much of the rusty liquid as he could. It felt tangy and hot and dribbled down his throat to his stomach, spreading warmth throughout his body.

He was on fire.

Deliriously happy.

He couldn't remember what it was that had plagued him not a half hour before.

Every touch felt like an orgasm on his skin.

He was drowning in pleasure.

"Hey Shu." Dolly breathed out heavily beneath him.

"Yeah?" Shu sighed out in response, half-focused on the sensations travelling over his skin.

"Fuck me." It was an order, not a request. Her hand squeezed the bulge growing steadily harder in his pants. Shu almost screamed as fire flew up through his body.

"Shit!" He gasped. "Okay, hold on."

Leaning with one hand against the floor, he managed to push up the layers of her tutu-style skirt before unzipping himself with difficulty. He sighed in relief as he was freed from the constraining fabric.

Taking off the rest of the clothing was way too daunting a task, plus he enjoyed the feeling of the fabric moving against his hypersensitive skin. But then there was the problem of the dehydration from the ecstasy.

"Lube?" He asked.

Dolly frowned and stuck a hand in her bra again, feeling around before producing a small capped bottle.

"Is there anything you _don't _keep in there?!" Shu gaped at her.

"Just hurry up and do it. I'm far too aroused to deal with your procrastinating." She snapped.

Shu grinned haplessly at her and skilfully lubed himself up before positioning one of her thighs against his shoulder and thrusting hard into her.

Words could not describe the absolute pleasure of being fully sheaved in her silken heat. There really was not any replacement for sex on E.

Except perhaps, sex with love.

**((yUKIyUKIyUKI)) **

Spots flew before his eyes and the drug took full effect.

He could feel every cell in his body, the sensations increased tenfold. He had no idea how long he just stayed there in her, both of them just absorbing the waves of pleasure flowing over them.

Shu panted, he was beginning to feel parched but the feelings that slammed into him as he moved quickly overwhelmed the need for water.

Dolly reacted just as violently as Shuichi began thrusting deeply into her with an erratic pace. He was barely aware of his own movements as the crushing commotion within him began to build up like a knot in his stomach twisting tighter and tighter.

Every touch of her fingers pressing against his arms was a mini-tsunami and crashed over his skin, the wake circling outwards to cover his whole body. Shuichi shuddered madly as he began to reach his climax.

There was a clattering noise and a masculine gasp that barely reached his ears.

Dolly's breath came hard and fast against his ear, turning it red hot, and the memory of golden eyes flashed so vividly in his mind that he came hard without even realising. Dolly finished a split-second after him with a scream of rapture.

He collapsed against her, feeling her body pulled flush against his. The dripping mess between them spread into his pants, dampening them. There was a strong smell of heat and musk in the air.

"Oh My God! Ew! You guys just do this randomly in hallways?!"

Dolly looked up at Danny lazily. "And how long have you been standing there?" She asked in interest, gently pushing Shu off her.

He slid out of her with ease and zipped himself back up, a dark patch of sex fluids decorating the area round the crotch. "Hey Daaannny…" He slurred, happily throwing himself on the unsuspecting drummer who was fixatedly staring in the opposite direction, a flush creeping up his neck.

"Oomph!" Danny collapsed from the shock of having Shu's weight thrown on him. Dolly pounced moments later and they both began rolling catlike over the humiliated man.

"I loooove you Danny!" Dolly giggled, rubbing her face between his shoulder blades.

"Oh God." Danny groaned in desperation. "I'm serious you two. Please get off. Right this instant."

"Don't be jealous." Shu licked his cheek feverishly. "We can do it all over again so you can join us!"

"AUTUMN! HELP!"

-

-

-

* * *

Present day.

The Park.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

He was a different Shuichi; that much was certain.

Eiri contemplated sending him back and getting a refund cos this sure as fuck wasn't the brat he ordered.

This brat was a 'sophisticated' culinary-connoisseur Pom who, instead of blushing madly amidst squeals of "Yuki!"…flirted back. Gave as good as he got.

He was even, Yuki admitted somewhat grudgingly, an _okay_ conversationalist. Despite being partial to random periods of zoning out.

He was like an evolved form of the brat; same basic chemical make-up but with infinitely better knowledge of social behaviour. There was not a single spilt glass, tear and/or raised voice. And frankly, Yuki Eiri found it disconcerting.

Peculiar, abnormal, anomalous, _weird_.

The evening was kind of, dare he say it, enjoyable? It was…nice.

Fuck.

There was that word again.

_Nice_.

Where did it come from?

It appeared that despite being the super-Shu 2000, the natural aura of dumbness the kid radiated was still contagious. It was affecting his ability to think of decent synonyms.

That brat.

Said brat was currently skipping slightly ahead of him through the park. The sight was so…_Shuichi _that it was making him nauseatingly nostalgic.

This was pathetic.

He was pathetic.

This whole fucking situation was…pitiable.

Dismal, imprudent, disobliging, troublesome.

Heh. He still got it.

At least in one area. Now if only he could employ his incredible mental lexicon and verbal prowess in order to get laid by a certain singer.

"Oi, brat."

"_Yes_?" Shuichi sung over his shoulder.

Eiri smirked to himself. "Your place or mine?"

Simple, yet with a definite sexual implication.

"I think we should go to mine!" Shu said brightly. "I left a bloody good tea party just to come find you."

That was the sound of a sexual implication flying over a moron's head.

"That was three hours ago." Eiri pointed out. "It's probably finished."

"Oh what bollocks. The revelries will only be starting!" Shu spun around to face him. "We should buy some bikkies. Gesture of politeness, yeah?"

Eiri wished Shuichi would stop using so much British slang. It seemed the more champagne he'd downed; the stronger the alien accent seemed to be. And the more he appeared to show some sort of aversion to speaking Japanese.

"I feel a strong urge for a cuppa with the missus."

It was like he was _mocking_ him.

"Eiri old chap! Shall we toddle on then?"

Definitely mocking.

He could see that impish gleam in the annoying little brat's eye. Regardless of how much the brat had changed physically and mentally he could never dampen Eiri's ability to speak 'Shunese'.

...Shunese?? What the fuck was he on about?!

He mentally disregarded the previous mental mishap. There was only one thing for it when Shuichi was in a particularly annoying mood. That was to distract him. And there was still one steadfast way to do that. Which would hopefully have the added benefit of getting him laid.

He grabbed that irritating, maddening, exasperating, vexing little brat firmly by the arms and kissed him.

He kissed him long, hard and with tongue.

This was a kiss that could lay the supreme smackdown on their first kiss in the elevator.

A kiss to rival all kisses.

He felt a smug sense of self-satisfaction when the kid appeared to physically melt in his arms until only Eiri was holding him up. Eiri kissed him once more, softly, before pulling back to gauge his reaction. Shuichi had a dazed look on his flushed face. His eyes were unfocused, his cheeks red, lips swollen.

Frankly, Eiri decided, he looked like he'd been fucked good and proper.

On second thought, 'good' was almost as bad a descriptive word as 'nice'.

He really needed to get out of the company of the terminally stupid.

"Hey, brat. Wakey wakey." He shook the kid slightly to snap him out of the stupor.

Unfortunately he must have shook too hard.

"You know Eiri, snogging in the street where every Tom, Dick and Harry can see is not a proper way of romancing one for a shag. Points for effort though."

It was sad, pathetic and completely irrational, but a miniscule part of Eiri had hoped that the old Shu would somehow come out from where he'd been hiding within the kid's mind.

He pushed Shuichi away and began to walk again, shoving his hands in his pockets to resist reaching out for the kid again. He paused when he didn't hear the echoing footsteps behind him and turned. "You coming?"

Shuichi was standing there like some sort of statue of idiocy, watching him with a calculating expression on his face.

What was he thinking? Shuichi didn't do calculating. Shuichi acted first and thought later…if he thought at all.

Must have been a trick of the light, he decided.

"Brat…" He said impatiently.

The idiot started, jolting out of whatever notion had claimed his mind. He began to walk towards Eiri, slowly and getting faster until he was running. Eiri barely had time for a surprised expression before the kid threw himself at him, wrapping his arms around his body and pulling him close.

Eiri stared wordlessly at the mollusc currently attached to his middle.

Shuichi snuggled into his stomach and hummed happily. "You feel good to hug." He squeezed Eiri tighter to emphasise his point.

Eiri hesitated before gingerly putting his arms around Shuichi as well.

-

-

-

* * *

Present day.

Imperial Hotel.

Tokyo Japan.

* * *

Hiro was having the time of his fucking life.

…Life.

Life was so fucking bright at the moment, like the sun, and it was shining on him.

He vaguely hoped he wouldn't get sunburnt.

But if he did, it would be a sunburn of _love_.

Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind he realised that he was completely and utterly fucked, but right now all he wanted to do was to…eat. Cheezits.

"Yo…" He turned slowly to Dolly beside him. "Do you have any…of the things…?" He made an assortment of incomprehensive gestures.

Dolly nodded slowly and without the slightest bit of understanding. "The, um…'things' you say?" She put a strand of hair in her mouth and chewed on it.

Hiro's eyes watched her. "Yes!" He enthused and grabbed a handful of her hair and shoved it in his mouth.

Dolly stared at him open-mouthed before giving a stoned laugh. "Ha…ha…ha…haa…ha…you're eating my hair."

Hiro looked down. "Oh. Am I? Sorry, that was rude."

He moved his tongue around his mouth. It tasted dry, like cotton. "I feel like I ate a pillow or something." He looked around for any evidence of the missing cushion. "Do you guys have to pay for it or something?"

"Pay for what?" Dolly asked, falling casually off the couch. She sat up and straightened the white bow that was holding back her hair as part of her Alice costume.

Autumn fell over the back of the couch next to him. Hiro jumped when he suddenly noticed her presence. "You guys are fucking stoned." She laughed a little too loudly.

"I know!" Dolly grinned at her and fell backwards again.

Autumn's head lolled back and forwards before fixing Hiro in her view. "I have a present for you." She sang.

Hiro smiled happily at her, her hair was so pretty.

It was like a whole bunch of pretty snakes all hissing round her head. He touched it. One of the snakes hissed at him. He quickly pulled back his hand.

"Do the snakes ever bite you?" He blurted suddenly. He blushed. "Sorry, I don't know where that came from."

Autumn laughed. "Dude, don't worry. It's totally normal. You are in the _zone_." She held up a bag of Cheezits. "Surprise! Happy birthday!"

Hiro snatched the bag. "Oh man, I am so hungry." He shovelled the chips into his mouth with vigour. He moaned happily. "Thank you. I love you." He gave her a one-armed hug. Autumn flushed pink.

"Ooh! Autumn's blushing!" Dolly crowed. "Love, love, love! All you need it love!"

"Picture yourself in a boat on a river, with tangerine trees and marmalade skies!" Autumn began to sing. "Somebody calls you; you answer quite slowly, a girl with kaleidoscope eyes!"

Hiro paused in his chip munching to listen. "Why aren't you lead?"

Dolly frowned at him. "I'm lead." She stuck out her tongue childishly. "The band's called 'Rampage', not 'Rose'"

"Ohh…" Hiro accepted the logic.

"I used to go solo but then Dolly blackmailed me into joining her stupid rock band." Autumn elaborated. "My career was over."

Dolly rolled her eyes. "Don't trust the hippy. She lies."

"Oh would you shut the hell up about the hippy thing!" Autumn chucked a pillow at Dolly's face.

"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" Danny bellowed from his position lying against the base of the couch.

"Quick! To the battlements!" Dolly barked at him.

He rolled over with astounding speed and bolted clumsily in the vague direction of the bedroom. They listened quietly as a thud sounded that told them he'd collided with a wall.

Autumn looked at Dolly.

Dolly looked at Autumn.

They both burst out in inebriated laughter. Hiro just continued munching on the chips.

"Oh!" Dolly tossed her head dramatically.

"Oh!" Autumn mimicked her, her dreads smacking Hiro in the face.

Dolly glared at her. "Oh!" She started again, pressing the back of her hand against her forehead. "My darling husband, where is he at the hour of my need?"

"Oh!" Autumn replied in the same overly-dramatic tone. "He is off doing the horizontal mambo with a hot author!"

"Oh fuck you Autumn!" Dolly abandoned the dramatics in favour of flipping the bird at her friend and band mate.

"I'm sure he's not." Hiro attempted to reassure her. "He's probably just…" He looked down for inspiration. "…eating."

"Face." Autumn finished for him.

"Shushssh!" Hiro made slurred shushing noises and waved his hands madly.

After getting completely fucked with her, he was beginning to feel a slight fondness for Shuichi's wife. But if anyone asked, he was still team Eiri. He should get a t-shirt made. With a cool slogan.

"Team Eiri. The Shuki squad. Yu-Shu 4eva." He tried out.

Autumn and Dolly stared at him, then at each other, then away as both started to snigger quietly.

Hiro blushed again as he realised his mistake. "Look," he tried to reason. "I like you Dolly. I think you're…sparkly." He silently cursed Ryuichi for sticking that term in his head. "But I've known Eiri longer and–"

"And you can't help but give him your allegiance in the epic battle for Shu's heart, right?" Autumn finished for him.

"Exactly!" He looked at her in awe. "Wow, you are some kind of mind-reader…"

"Oh God, don't tell me he still believes in your farce of a marriage?" Danny drawled as he staggered in.

There was silence.

Danny clasped a hand over his mouth. "Oh shit!" he said, voice slightly muffled. "I didn't mean to say it! It was like a stillborn…It just slipped out of me!"

Hiro made a choking noise.

Autumn slapped her palm against her forehead.

Dolly fixed him with an icy glare. "Just remember." She warned. "You can be replaced by a synthesiser."

"And Danny," Autumn added. "Keep that term in mind cos later I'm going to sit you down and tell you everything that's ethically wrong with it."

Danny gave a weak smile. "Yes mum."

"Sooo…" Hiro looked at Dolly. "You and Shu aren't actually married."

"Oh we are…" She said airily.

"My brain isn't working." Hiro kneaded his forehead. "Um…what?"

She shrugged. "It was kind of a…green card thing." Danny sniggered softly through his fingers.

"…you guys married so Shu could get citizenship?!" Hiro exclaimed after a lengthy paused of trying to get his weed-fried brain to function.

"Noooo…" Autumn drawled.

"Absolutely not." Dolly echoed.

"Perish the thought!" Danny joined in.

Dolly glared at him. "Oh shut it you tosser. You lost your group denial privileges when you opened that huge cock-hole of yours."

Danny clamped a hand over his mouth self-consciously. "Would you _stop_ referring to it as a 'cock-hole'?!"

"I will once you stop using it as one." Dolly threw back.

"Like fo shiz seriously, I'm not gay!"

"Like anyone in this room actually believes that."

"Autumn!" Danny whined in her direction.

Autumn looked up from where she'd been braiding Hiro's hair. "Huh? What now?"

"Hand's up everyone who thinks Danny boy here is gay." Dolly declared, overriding his protests with pure volume.

She raised her hand.

Hiro raised the hand not immersed in the chip bowl.

"_Thank you_ Autumn." Danny sighed.

"Wait a sec," Autumn quickly finished the braid she was working on before raising her hand.

"Oh fuck." The drummer immediately deflated.

"Majority wins!" Dolly cheered. "You, Dhanesh Sarin, are a fucking poofter!"

The door flew open. "I second the motion!" Shuichi yelled as he bounced in.

"Shuuuuuu!" Dolly squealed and flung herself at him.

He caught her with a practised ease. "Hey hunny!" Shu sniffed the air. "Oh dude," He said, imitating Autumn, "You guys been smoking the good shit?"

The larger figure of Eiri Yuki strode in after him and paused, also sniffing. "It stinks like weed in here." He commented bluntly.

Hiro gaped at him before a large smile slid onto his face. "Eiri!" He threw himself at Eiri much in the way Dolly did to Shu.

Unlike Shu, however, Eiri made no effort to catch the guitarist.

"You let them get you stoned?" Eiri stared at him.

Hiro stared back. "Wooooow. Your eyes are so pretty Yuuuki."

The pretty eyes narrowed. "You have three seconds to get the fuck off me Nakano."

Eiri shoved Hiro onto the floor and looked around. Autumn was sprawled out on the floor from Hiro's enthusiastic leap off the couch; a forgotten bowl of chips was spilled on the carpet beside her. "Looks like a real bender."

Autumn glared at him as fiercely as she could from upside down. "Silencio Mr. Author-dude."

Eiri faked an upset look. "Is that any way to treat one of your–"

"Omigod! Omigod!" Eiri looked down at the squealing fanboy dressed as a mouse, who was currently wrapped around his middle like some sort of detestable barnacle. The kid was foreign looking. With dark brown hair styled in a faux-hawk with blonde tips. He looked up at Eiri with adoring brown eyes."You're Eiri Yuki! I love you books! Especially the…erm, psychological content…in which you go…erm, right into the mind of the heroine in 'Cool'." He finished proudly.

Eiri looked at him as if he was an idiot. "'Cool' had a hero, not a heroine." He shoved the guy off him. "And I don't like personal contact with people I don't know. Hell, I don't like personal contact with people I _do_ know."

The mouse-boy backed away sheepishly. "Right, no contact. I'll just, erm, love you from afar." He paused, went over his words and winced. "Fuck! I mean, I'll just love your writing from afar. Though, you know, it's going to be really hard to read and–"

"You are such a ditherer Danny." Dolly interrupted.

Danny stopped talking immediately and sat down next to Autumn, a furious red blush spread across his cheeks.

"Thanks." Autumn mumbled to him, lips barely moving.

"You totally owe me one." He muttered back.

Shuichi, already directing a new topic of conversation, drowned out the exchange and drew all attention to himself.

Almost all the attention.

The duo on the floor didn't notice a pair of interested golden eyes passing over them.

* * *

_**Meh, seems like a good place to end it. I mean, I was going to put in another scene but I just realised that I actually probably need Ryu for it and I sent him off to Kyoto to get some monk lovin'. I can't just call him back, that's mean! Plus this way I can **_**extend **_**the plot.  
Whooooo… Plot extensions… Scaaaryyy…**_

**_Edit 12/01/09 – I decided to revamp the chapters a little, just changing the way they were formatted and added places and times since I move around in this story so much. Just wanted to do it before I got too far into the story and it took ages. _**

**_Also, the reason I haven't updated in a while is that my computer broke at the beginning of November. I got a laptop for Christmas, which I'm writing on now, but all my notes and stuff were in the other computer. We've sent it to a guy to get all the files out but I probably won't be able to update until then. Sorry guys._**

_**A dyslexic guy walks into a bra…**_

_**Love Queen Cocaine**_

_**xoxo**_


	6. Aubrey Kane

_**Okay Cassie. I updated.**_

_**-**_

_**-**_

_**-**_

_**

* * *

**_

**Snow.**

-

Chapter Six.

* * *

-

-

-

* * *

One Year, Six Months earlier.

Harlequin Manor.

England.

* * *

"Is Shuichi going to be like a permanent fixture around here?" Autumn asked bluntly.

Dolly looked up. "Yes." She went back to painting her nails electric blue.

"Dude, you fully need to tell me when you bring home strays. " Autumn sighed and flopped down on the bed uninvited. "Especially weird ones."

"He's not weird." Dolly defended. "He's probably high."

"I'm meaning other than that. I love Shu...but there is something wrong with that kid. All the crayolas aren't in the box if you catch my drift. Or the crayolas that _are_ there are all broken and stuff...I don't really know where I'm going with this."

Dolly sighed. "He's so pretty." She cooed dreamily.

Autumn rolled her eyes. "He's also, what? Sixteen?"

"Actually he's twenty."

Autumn halted in her next sentence. "I just- what? Really? Huh. He's really small."

"And pretty." Dolly interrupted.

Autumn thought about it. "He _is_ pretty." She agreed.

"Stunning."

"Gorgeous."

"Be-yoo-tiful."

"He's totally nuts." Autumn said blankly.

Dolly glared at her. "That's not how the game goes."

"If he's staying here he's going to go see Dr. Starlight."

"Why? She's not even a real doctor. She's a quack."

"Hey!" Autumn protested. "She is totally a doctor. I've seen her diplomas. She just specialises in new age therapies."

"..._quack._" Dolly gave a suspicious cough.

"Oh shut the hell up Doll face."

"Oh that's new."

"And if that fails..." Autumn reclined further into the soft downy pillows. "We'll just shove him full of as many pills as needed to achieve normality."

"Isn't that what we're doing anyway?" Dolly blew on her wet nails. "We supply the 'magic' he needs to forget. He's so fucked like all the time that he still thinks we're fairies and we 'saved' him from his dreary life and gave him new life."

"Wow." Autumn laughed. "Sounds like a fairytale."

"Yeah..." Dolly lay down next to her.

Autumn laughed. "I guess that makes us the fairy godmothers."

Dolly smiled. "Utterly devoted to keeping our baby-Shu safe."

-

-

-

* * *

Three Days earlier.

The Park.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

Shuichi felt...safe?

Yes, that seemed a good word choice for this particular moment.

Safe.

He was safe.

Here in Eiri's arms he was safe.

Eiri was big and strong and warm and safe.

Shuichi felt a dire need to inform Eiri of his feeling about this hug. "You feel good to hug." He hummed, squeezing gently to prove his point. He felt his heart explode happily with a splurge of pleasure when Eiri hesitantly hugged him back. Gently at first but then harder.

Shuichi purred with happiness and snuggled more into Eiri's firm stomach.

This, right here, felt right.

He felt right.

This was the most right feeling he'd felt in...two years.

God help him this was not good. This was bad.

Bad.

Bad.

Bad.

He could not Not NOT even remotely consider the possibility of falling in love with Yuki Eiri again.

That would be bad.

Bad Shu.

Bad Shu.

**((nAUGHTY bOY))**

no No NO!

Shut up.

Shut up.

Shut up.

Shut up.

See? This was why he coudn't go back _ever_ to how it was. Because he is not how he was. The now Shu Snow of Rampage didn't fit into the mould of Shindou Shuichi of Bad Luck. After all, once innocence dies it's gone forever.

And ever.

And ever.

His fairytale didn't involve time travel. In fact, he couldn't even think of a fairytale that had time travel in it. His just had fairies, magic and a fucking wonderland. After all, he was the fucking Mad Hatter. Which reminded him, Dolly's tea party.

He didn't want to go.

He was just so warm and _safe_ here in Yuki's arms. Nothing would or could hurt him here. The big bad world could just fuck off before Yuki kicked its sorry ass to the ends of the fucking universe. Then he could just stay here with his Yuki and the bad things he couldn't remember but was completely certain occurred didn't happen and he wasn't so fucking screwed in the head and that untouchable child-like innocence was whole again.

But even Shuichi, utterly fucked as he was, knew that it wouldn't, _couldn't_ and...shouldn't happen.

No.

He let go.

"Let's get on our way shall we?"

No.

It couldn't happen.

-

-

-

* * *

One Year, Two Months earlier.

Harlequin Manor.

England.

* * *

This was indeed life at its fullest.

The man, formerly known as Dhanesh Sarin and now christened _Danny Starr_, closed his eyes (The world fizzed on the back of his eyelids) and inhaled. A symphony of scents caressed his nostrils and sent pleasure signals into his brain.

He could smell the sweet earthy and utterly unique smell of weed. Come to think of it, that was kind of what Autumn smelled like too.

That darling hippy.

He could only say that in the privacy of his mind, to say so aloud would be tantamount to pride suicide. Plus it would only give Dolly ammunition for mocking him.

He knew she didn't mean to hurt him _really_. It was just her way of trying to get him to toughen up. He knew that she thought if she burnt him enough that it would inspire him to grow a backbone and fight fire with fire.

Unfortunately what she didn't know what that he didn't mind. He was perfectly fine at being the one always at the butt of the jokes. He was the outcast of the group anyway. No one ever _said_ anything. They didn't have to. I mean just look at him. He was 6'1, towering over the rest of them. He was like the kid in the back of the class picture. They always stuck him in the back in any photo shoots for album covers, magazine covers, posters.

That was just the way it was. And he was fine with it. Really.

He couldn't sing worth a damn either. Shu and Dolly were lead while Autumn was doing quite fine on her own before being coerced into joining Rampage by Dolly's sometime absent charm.

Oh how that girl had everyone twisted around her little finger when the mood hit her. The rest of the time she was a tactless bitch. Just to be frank.

After all, his mind was the only place he really could say what he was thinking. He got nervous talking.

Speech was a powerful tool and had to be wielded with care. There were infinite ways to screw up when speaking and unfortunately Danny seemed to attract them all. And then Dolly would yell and he would get nervous and start blabbering to make it better and it never worked and by the time they got him to shut up something which was more often than not completely inappropriate for the occasion would blurt out of his mind and then he would be banned from speaking to people for a week which meant he'd spend a week panicking about messing up again.

It was a vicious cycle but one he was mightily familiar with.

Autumn in her infinite wisdom just called him 'one of those people'. One of the incessantly neurotic people who spent so much time debating within themselves instead of acting. A worrier. Once again setting him apart from the rest of his audacious and so damn impulsive band mate's.

He was the one who worried about the consequences, about the damage they wrought. He was the one who fretted when they all decided to screw in people's lives for better or worse, depending on their mood. He was the one weight down with enough anxiety to make up for the lacking in the other three. He was even taking pills for it.

The only time he could let go, live without worrying about what it would cost him, the only time he seemed to fit into the glittery magical world of Dolly was when he was high out of his fucking mind.

Danny lifted the homemade bong to his lips and lit the end, sucking in the smoke that bubbled in there. He sucked it in hard and swallowed, keeping it in there for as long as he could before exhaling towards the ceiling.

The who-the-fuck-cares-how-many-inches television that filled most of the wall opposite him was blaring some sort of documentary on the comparison of modern romance authors to the classics. Who the fuck cared? He was only really watching it because it featured Eiri Yuki.

Holy fuck.

That guy made him act as gay as his friends claimed he was.

His writing was phenomenal. He truly went right into the minds of each and every one of his characters. He delighted in making the reader know the character so deeply and personally that they couldn't help forming a connection to them. Then he brutally killed the character off.

Sadistic bastard.

But what a fucking hot bastard he was.

Let's get this straight. Danny Starr liked pussy. He lived for cunt, some more than others. But Eiri Yuki got him so fucking hard that just looking at the guys writing meant a ten minute period of 'me time' in the bathroom. Or whatever room happened to be closest at the time.

But he was painfully aware that the author, like every fucking thing else, belonged completely and utterly to Shu.

He loved Shu.

Everyone loved Shu. He was just the kind of person you couldn't help but admire and adore.

But the kid got everything in the world just fucking handed to him.

He was on the street, Dolly drags him home and he's instantly integrated into their lives, best friends with Autumn, gets a solo career and somehow (no one really know how except maybe Dolly) he's the lead singer of Rampage. How is that just plain fucking luck?

He knew how. The only fucking lucky part was meeting Dolly (though with his using it wasn't completely unexpected with her being who she was) and the rest was all her.

Her and her fucking games. She gets unhappy with her own life and decides to play God with someone else's.

Fucking annoying power-crazed Dolly.

This house (mansion really) that they all lived in was hers, left to her by her late mother. That meant her house rules, which basically meant anything goes. Harlequin Manor was originally called Harlowton Manor but was renamed by Dolly Rampage upon her inheritance of the place at age eleven, and who the hell is arrogant enough to rename a two-hundred year old piece of history?? Dolly Rampage was.

Dolly Rampage was everything in their lives.

The other's were either blind or chose to ignore it but Danny knew the truth, the moment they all stepped into Dolly's twisted Wonderland she owned them. She supplied the magic, she formed the band, she controlled every single fucking thing in their lives by not controlling it. Everyone knows that they step out of bounds and they're out. But the boundaries were so endless that no one really cared. They didn't care that they were technically living under a dictatorship.

He couldn't blame her, it was in her blood. He couldn't blame her for her personality just as he couldn't blame her for being so fucking beautiful. An almost androgynous face. Her name truly suited her.

She had the looks. She had the power. She was ambitious, possessive, greedy, cruel, lustful, and so full of hubris. Of course everyone loved her.

She was the epitome of human sin.

Beauty only skin deep.

A scent of perfume (orange blossom and freesia) mixed with woody smoke and the raw musk of desire.

"Hey Dolly." Danny opened his eyes.

"Eiri Yuki again Darling? Try not to leave a mess in the bathroom again when you're done watching."

There really was nothing he could say to that. It was after all, completely and utterly true. Instead he just gave a kind of awkward half-laugh.

She pounced, settling herself into his lap and smiling contently. "I miss hanging out with you. Remember our Dolly/Danny time? We used to watch those silly anime shows of yours. It was fun. Whatever happened to that?"

"I, um, guess you're just...you know...busy with the band and like Shu...well not 'busy' with Shu though if that is what you're doing I wouldn't blame you. He's really pretty and after all and-"

She pressed a finger to his lips. "You almost let slip your true sexual orientation again Dan-Dan." She teased.

He mentally kicked himself. Was this a fucking disability or something? Maybe he should ask Dolly about getting a speech therapist or something.

But not right now, she was in here for something and he wanted to know what. So instead he waited.

Her tone was airy, casual. "We got news today. Shu's visa is running out. He was going to be sent back to Japan."

"Was?" He repeated.

Her laugh was fake as well. "You really don't miss a thing do you Danny? Well as you know, I couldn't possibly allow that." She swallowed. "We're getting married Danny."

She sounded nervous.

Perhaps she was silently asking for his blessing.

Or his permission.

"For Shu's sake of course." Maybe he didn't need that therapist after all.

She nodded. "Of course. He's mine Danny. I always look after my..."

"Toys." He finished for her.

She frowned at him.

He laughed a little too loudly. "Just kidding Doll. So you're getting married? Excuse me for not doing this earlier but...Omigosh! Omigosh! That is just so totally super! Like super awesome cool! Wow can I give you away?"

She was still frowning. "Danny..."

He changed channels on the television. "Hey look, Naruto's on!"

"Danny."

"Or if you'd prefer I just got the full Gravitation series from Amazon."

"Danny, please don't shut me out."

"No." He shook his head.

No.

She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Dan, you'll always be my 'firstborn'." Her breath ticked his ear. "You know I have a soft spot for ninjas." She continued, snuggling into his chest.

He hugged her back. "Yeah, I know."

Because she's Dolly and she's life.

-

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* * *

Present Time.

Imperial hotel.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

The tension between the two felt decidedly awkward.

With Eiri fixatedly ignoring Shuichi who decided to turn it into some sort of misguided game and included him in the conversation at every opportunity possible. Autumn wondered what it was Shu did to piss him off so much.

Meh.

She'd get it out of Shu later. That little midget man could so not keep a secret from her. It wasn't even fun to get it out of him anymore.

Oh well. For now she decided to sneak peeks at the hawt piece of ass seated to her left.

Omifuckingod!

Shu's friend was so sexalicious. Dude, he practically radiated it from his pores. She felt hotter just sitting next to him.

Another of her sideways glimpses and she startled to see his amused eyes watching her right back. She heard him chuckle gently under his breath as she blushed pink to the roots of her dreads. Fuck, this was so embarrassing. She was like a teenager again.

Stupid, uncontrollable hormones.

He leant in close to her and she could smell him.

Oh fuck!

She subtly squeezed her thighs together under the table.

Autumn Rainbow Sunburst Moonshine Rose!

Get it together! You are twenty-four, not fourteen. She took a bite of sushi to distract herself from her traitorous hormones.

"Know what's up with 'Shuki'?" His breath tickled her ear.

She could smell the soya sauce on his breath...and it never smelt better.

The soya sauce, not his breath. Cos she was fully sure his breath could smell better with mints of whatever but right now she so didn't care cos he was _breathing on her!_

Dude, she had it bad.

"mmumerrph pshed."

He laughed. "You might want to think about swallowing."

Oh fuck, fuckity, fuck!

Food in mouth. Not attractive.

Again she blushed hardcore before swallowing and repeating her words so quietly he had to lean in even closer to hear. "I think Eiri's pissed."

Oh great Autumn, now he's going to think you did it on purpose just to get him close.

She tried really _really _hard not to think about the fact that if she turned her face up and slightly to the left that they would actually be physically kissing.

Across the table Dolly sent her a wicked grin.

"Shut the fuck up." Autumn mouthed as quietly as she could.

"What was that?" Hiro asked.

Autumn's eyes widened. "Nothing!" She turned towards him quickly.

Shit!

Too late. Instead of the accidental lip-lock she was secretly hoping for, her forehead collided quite painfully with his nose.

"Ow!" Hiro jumped away clutching his nose.

Shuichi fell off his chair laughing which brought the attention of the whole table towards them.

"Um...guys?" Danny had paused with a piece of sushi halfway to his mouth and was now staring at them. Autumn, her hand held to her forehead blushed for the third time in ten minutes.

"Nakano. You're bleeding." Eiri pointed out bluntly.

Autumn froze and turned to look at Hiro in absolute horror. Indeed, crimson rivulets were dripping from between his fingers while he held his nose.

Oh.

My.

God.

Oh.

My.

Fucking.

God.

She broke his nose.

His nose is _broken_.

He was bleeding.

"Oh my god. I am like beyond sorry. I'm moving into the realm of eternal servitude I'm that sorry."

His shoulders started shaking. Oh god, she made him cry.

"Hyahaha."

...or laugh.

Okay, laughing was good. Unless he was laughing at her. Was he laughing at her?

"I can't believe you broke his nose." Shuichi cackled.

Autumn stared at the ground. Oh man, this was more embarrassing than the time she got her foot tangled in her trailing guitar chord and fell off the stage.

"Clever. Are you going to break his foot on your next date?" Eiri's cool voice travelled over to her.

Shuichi laughed harder on the floor.

"Dude!" She whispered furiously. "You're supposed to me on my side!"

"Am I?" He covered his amusement by taking a long gulp of beer.

"You know what?" Autumn glared at them all. "You guys all suck."

"Not as much as you do at kissing." Danny spoke up.

Hiro looked at her. "Kishing?"

Instead of pink she turned a vibrant shade of red. She looked to Dolly for support. Her supposed friend seemed to be having trouble holding herself up with the loud giggles that escaped her.

"Will no one save me?" She blurted out.

The doors of the suite flew open. A woman in a ridiculous fur coat strode in like she owned the place.

She paused for a moment to take in the chaotic scene. "Right then!" She barked in a voice that demanded nothing less that absolute compliance.

"Danny Starr, you will learn to keep that mouth of yours shut or I will sew it shut." Danny stared in disbelief before miming a complicated show of shutting and locking his mouth.

"Shu Snow, get off that floor immediately and sit in your chair like a civilized being." His laughter immediately shut off and he slid on the chair with the reluctance of a petulant child.

Eiri appraised the woman with interest. He was curious about anyone who had that sort of effect on his brat without using guns. She ignored him and turned to her next victim.

"Autumn Rose, learn how to keep proximity in future attempts of intimacy." Autumn attempted to slide under the table.

"Dolly Rampage, shut that incessant irritating giggling off immediately, you're not a ten year old girl." Dolly winced and clasped a hand over her mouth.

"And I don't know who you other people are but you boy," She pointed a talon-like fingernail in Hiro's direction. "Find something to stem that blood with before you ruin this fifty-thousand pound carpet any further than you already have." Hiro stared at her with wide eyes before Autumn tentatively passed him a expensive looking table napkin.

"And you!" Her stabbing finger finally moved to Eiri who met her gaze without flinching. "...keep drinking." She finished lamely after finding nothing about his behaviour worth complaining about. "And wipe that look off your face." She added as an afterthought as if determined to find some sort of fault with him.

Feeling a perverse burst of satisfaction as she looked at the subdued collection of people in front of her. She looked at each and every one of the members of Rampage, ignoring Hiro and Yuki for now. "I am _very_ disappointed in you lot." She sighed. "You went on vacation to Japan without even telling meeee!" She suddenly wailed.

Everyone sweat-dropped. The woman dropped her heavy mink coat on the ground and flopped cross-legged on top of it sobbing madly.

"Aww! Don't cry na no da! Kuma doesn't like it when people cry!" Everyone jumped as Ryuichi made his way from beneath the table to shove his pink rabbit in the crying woman's face.

She peered at it curiously from between her fingers.

"I can give you a chocolate?" Ryuichi produced a squashed, slightly melted chocolate from his pockets. The woman took the sticky treat wordlessly.

"Or...or..." he shoved his hand deeper. "I have...this!" He presented a thin wooden circle with a piece of string coming off opposite sides. "Look! This side has a birdie and this side has a cage and if I twirl it like this then the birdie goes in the cage! Or else I have...some string...do you like bubblegum? I also have these playing cards I got from Tats; they have naughty pictures on them!"

Eiri couldn't even fathom what was going through his brother's head when he gave Sakuma Ryuichi kama-sutra playing cards. Perhaps he was attempting to encourage him to try out some of the positions? Fucking pervert.

Ryuichi continued to play show and tell with the contents of his pockets. "I have some lyrics too my new song. I'll sing it to you if you like! Or I have some strawberry chap stick; it keep my lips silky smooth! Or you could hold Kumagoro if you like?"

She snuffled some more and cuddled the rabbit against her chest. "Thanks love, that's really sweet of you."

"Aubrey?" After the initial shock of her arrival wore off Dolly moved to crouch in front of the woman. She produced a dainty lace handkerchief from somewhere and passed it to Aubrey to dry her eyes (thank god for water-proof mascara) and blow her nose.

"What are you doing here?" Danny sat beside her and gave her a sideways hug.

Autumn had taken it upon herself to help Hiro mop up his bleeding nose and gave him a cold compress to stop swelling. Shuichi was snuggling against an irate Eiri's arm and making annoying cooing noises while he tried in vain to ignore him.

"Who the hell is she anyway?" He finally barked.

"Eh?" Shuichi sat up. "Oh, that's Aubrey Kane. And by the way, how did you manage to find us?"

Aubrey huffed. "Well it took me a while to track you down. Shame on you all for running away! Do you have any idea how many events I had to cancel because I could not find my band? Do you know what that looks like for a manager of my calibre?!"

"She's your manager?" Eiri cast a dubious look at the sobbing mess on the ground. "Really?"

"Yup!" Shu crowed before dashing over to her and hugging her mad. "I'm kind of super happy you're here anyways Aubrey-san! We missed having you around to keep us in line."

Eiri was about to comment but remembered how effortlessly she managed to shut them all up before. Huh. Maybe she wasn't so useless after all. That was, when she wasn't uncontrollably crying on the ground. How professional.

Ryuichi was chewing on his bottom lip, brow puckered in concentration.

"Hey guys." Autumn said, tilting Hiro's head further back to stop the blood flow. "I think we need to take Hiro to a doctor or something."

"Um, Autumn. I don't think you're supposed to do that." Shu said, tilting his head. "You might make all the blood flood his brain or something."

Eiri snorted and lit up a cigarette. "You're an idiot." He sighed and stood up. "I'll take Nakano to the hospital. We can't let his nose stay unset; it might damage his 'sex appeal'."

"Fyuk you." Hiro tried to say.

"I'll come! Autumn volunteered.

"No thanks. I don't want blood on my seats if you decide to help him into the car." Eiri smirked at her.

"Zip it! Zip it good!"

"Hey Shu-chan, na no da?" Ryuichi said, still with the look of comical concentration on his face.

"Yeah?" Shu answered, turning to look at him.

"If she's your manager...who's the other blonde guy?"

Shuichi swallowed and exchanged glances with his wife. "What other guy?"

"The one who was here the other day when I went to see you and we played with the magic. He said he was your manager and I said you lived in the penthouse."

"Ryu, did he say his name?" Dolly asked.

Ryuichi nodded. "It's kind of a funny name. I don't remember it...am I in trouble?"

"Course not." Autumn said quickly. "But I have to ask you Ryu-chan..."

"Is his name Red Rothford?" Dolly finished.

Ryuichi listened to Kumagoro for a moment. "Yeah! That's it, na no da! Redfish Rothford!"

"What's going on?" Eiri demanded, noticing the look of dread on their faces.

Danny flopped down. "We are completely and utterly fucked."

* * *

**_Dun. Dun. Duuuunnn... And I'm stopping there. Sorry loves. It's all a part of the 'plan'. And by the way, this chapter is like a few days after where I left you. Hiro's talking funny cos of the broken nose, it's not a typo and I'll reveal the reason Eiri is pissed off at Shu in the next instalment. Once again I'm kind of doing 'unprotected writing' since all my notes are on my broken computer and the guy is taking like forever and a half to get the hard drive out and I'm writing this chapter based on my poor memory of the plot. I also went through all previous chapters and kind of changed around the format of them to distract myself so now they all have the time and place of the scenes to make for easier reading since I jump about so much. I also decided to add some insight to Danny, Autumn and Shu. Plus Cassie's going to kill me for piling so much embarrassment on her. Sorry baby. _**

_**The rate at which a person can mature is directly proportional to the embarrassment she can tolerate...**_

_**Love Queen Cocaine**_

_**xoxo**_


	7. Rose Tinted Glasses

**Soon this will be my only fic. Thus my only concern. Whoot.  
Oh, and I have character pics up on my profile. You should check them out. Yeah. **

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* * *

**Snow.**

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Chapter Seven.

* * *

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* * *

Two Hours earlier.

Tasogare Heights.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

"It's just sushi, Eiri." Hiro cajoled to the white painted bathroom door.

The person behind the door, a Mr. Uesugi Eiri-san, ignored him in favour of glaring at his reflection in the mirror.

It wasn't the sushi that was the issue. Eiri had absolutely nothing against the food. It was the people with whom the sushi was going to be eaten that were the problem. And frankly he didn't want to see any of them for the next few millennia at least. Hell, he didn't want to see any of them at all.

"Eiri!" Hiro barked, abandoning his coaxing technique for a (hopefully) more efficient one of banging on the door.

"If you leave a single fucking scuff mark on the paint..." Eiri warned as Hiro began kicking the door.

"Well I wouldn't _have_ to leave scuff marks on your décor if you would just come out of the damn bathroom." Hiro responded with an especially harsh kick. A black mark was left on the white door from his shoe.

The door flew open and an irate Eiri looked at the blemish with fury. With a pissed off expression he flew around and seized Hiro by the collar. "What the fuck is your problem Nakano? I don't come around and fuck around with shit in _your _place."

"Well," Hiro attempted a nonchalant expression despite being dangled a foot from the ground. "At least you came out."

Eiri sneered at him before letting go and stalking to the refrigerator for a beer. Hiro dusted himself off and counted to five before following him.

Shu was never this difficult. Sure he'd whine and cry but at least he didn't respond by lifting Hiro a foot off the ground. In fact Hiro didn't think Shuichi even possessed the upper body strength required to lift him a foot off the ground. But then again, his friend had been capable of remarkable things in moments of need. Things of great stupidity, but remarkable things nonetheless.

There was little to no doubt in Hiro's mind that Shuichi's trademark stupidity was the reason for Eiri's sudden bout of PMS.

When he'd spoken to Eiri yesterday he'd been fine, well as fine as Eiri could be. But at least he hadn't been acting like the apocalypse itself would happen if he visited his ex-lover and his ex-lover's charming friends and wife. Now Hiro had to revert to kicking doors just to get him out of the bathroom.

So, obviously something happened last night, most likely something with Shuichi. Though he wouldn't put it past Dolly to do something to upset his friend, however unintentional it may be.

Danny seemed too shy to do something and Shu mentioned that he was a fan of Yuki Eiri's writing and Yuki Eiri himself so Hiro decided he was out of the equation.

Autumn was too...nice to do anything.

And kind of cute as well. Hiro repressed the automatic guilt that came with that statement. There was nothing wrong with admiring, he told himself. As long as he kept his hands to himself.

So Autumn and Danny were out. Hiro thought Eiri had way too much pride to be affected so easily by a rival so Dolly was out as well. By the process of elimination, Nakano Hiroshi deducted that Shindou Shuichi was the reason Hiro had been lifted a foot off the ground.

With his reasoning planted firmly in his mind, Hiro made his way into the lounge and stood in front of Eiri.

Or more specifically, Eiri's view of the television.

The novelist grunted with annoyance and moved his head to glimpse the screen past Hiro's body. Hiro tilted his weight to the side to block the screen again.

"Do you get off on pissing me off beyond belief Nakano?" Eiri drained the can of beer in a long gulp.

"What happened between you and Shuichi?" Hiro demanded. There was no point pussyfooting around Eiri, he'd discovered early into their friendship. Unlike with Shu who had to be coaxed gently into giving answers, Eiri reacted better with bluntness.

"None of your fucking business." Eiri growled.

That was, when he actually felt like giving answers.

"Like hell it's not. You're my friend and Shuichi is too."

Eiri snorted. "When was it established that we were friends? I was under the impression that you were an unwanted bother with nothing better to do than hang around me and bitch me into an early grave."

"I think your handling that well enough on your own." Hiro looked at Eiri's cigarette pointedly. "And stop deluding yourself; we're friends and you know it. Whether you want to admit it though is another matter."

Eiri rolled his eyes and drew hard from his cigarette.

"You want to fix this thing with Shu as much as I–"

"Who the fuck says I want to fix it??" Eiri snarled. "That Brat's made his own choices."

Hiro raised an eyebrow. It didn't seem like Eiri to give up like that. Maybe he went to visit Shu and walked in on him and his wife in the sack or something? But usually that would have strengthened Eiri's resolve. Maybe even get him fired up enough with jealousy that he would stop at nothing to get Shu back. Right now all he seemed to want to do was sit on the couch and drown in his own self pity.

Hiro decided that all he needed was a little pep talk. "Look Yuki," Eiri opened his mouth but Hiro but him off. "_Eiri_, sorry. I get that all you want to do right now is wallow in self-pity for not getting the girl...guy. But you got to get back on the horse, man."

Hiro began pacing back and forth. "You can't let her win. You and I both know that all the shit you guys went through means you're destined to be together. You've got to view this as another of those tests of fate, like all the times you've left him. Shuichi never sat in his apartment and cried...well he did but the point is that he never gave up. He kept going and going until he got you back and now it's time to return the favour."

Hiro mentally applauded himself. This speech was sure to get even Yuki Eiri pumped. "So the question remains; are you going to let him go...or are you going to FIGHT FOR YOUR MAN??" He finished in a yell, pumping a fist up in the air for gestural effect.

Eiri stared at him. "If I go will you shut the fuck up and leave me alone?"

Hiro gave an embarrassed laugh and scratched the back of his head. "Sure."

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* * *

The night before.

Imperial Hotel.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

Eiri thought it was fucking degrading that he had to masturbate to Shindou Shuichi.

The kid should be there like an awaiting cum-dumpster. Ready for Eiri to shoot his load into whenever he fucking felt like it.

Instead, Yuki Eiri was standing in the fucking shower getting himself off. There was nothing wrong with a little self-lovin' every now and again. Eiri was a master (as he was at anything and everything sexual related) at the art of personal management. But that didn't mean he didn't have anyone to fuck.

Since he hit puberty he'd had a never-ending crowd of women eager to scratch his itch, so to speak. They even had their own hotline. Then of course it got out that he was into guys too and the crowd inflated to the point where they not only had a hotline, but a MySpace page, a personal website and even national-wide advertisements on popular television stations.

So it could be established that Eiri was in a drought of extra-players by his own doing.

Well not his doing exactly. This whole thing could be blamed completely and utterly on a single person. A single person with an annoyingly fake British accent, an annoyingly different wardrobe choice, an annoyingly aloof new persona and an annoying wife.

Fucking Shuichi.

It seemed ever since the kid returned any sexual attraction he'd gained from anyone else was suddenly extinguished.

Vanished.

Departed.

Gone.

His mojo was sex feet under.

And Shuichi being Shuichi, (Read: a selfish brat completely ignorant to anyone else's needs but his own) didn't even have the decency, the courtesy to be the replacement of the person Eiri might have fucked by now. Instead he just waltzes in and destroys Eiri's sexual appetite for others and doesn't even stay to get fucked instead.

Fucking selfish Shuichi.

So here was Yuki Eiri, voted the sexiest man in Japan not once, not twice, but _eight_ times (consecutively), jacking off to a memory of a pink-haired midget with one hell of a set of lungs.

In fact, as Eiri repeatedly stroked his soap-up dick, he was employing his extensive writer's imagination to fabricate the sound of his Brat's screaming, moaning and sometimes cussing tones as he was gifted immeasurable pleasure by yours truly.

**Shuichi's half-lidded eyes gleamed at him from the darkness. A stutter came in his constant panting breaths as Eiri changed directions in his thrusting. **

**"Ahh...A-Ahhh..." His eyes rolled back slightly as his small arms came round to pull Eiri further against him with surprising strength. **

**"Yessss..." He hissed as he bucked up against his lover. Eiri pumped harder and Shuichi let out noise that sounded part-scream, part-moan and part-gasp as Eiri hit the ultra-sensitive spot inside him again and again. His body tensed and a spasm ran from his hip down his leg. **

**The noises from him increased and Eiri doubted any of their neighbours would be getting any sleep any time soon. They'd probably get another warning from management and a lecture on the building's noise policy. He'd better make this one a good one then. **

**The spasms racking his Brat's body were getting harder, sometimes lifting his lithe body off the bed. "Yu...Yuki..." Shu gasped. "I-I'm coming..." **

**"Not yet, you're not." Eiri growled in his ear. "I'm not done with you, Brat." He reached a hand around and gripped the base of Shuichi's erection, blocking his orgasm. **

**"Yukiii..." Shuichi's voice whined loudly. **

**"Shut up." Eiri kissed him roughly, pushing his tongue roughly into the kid's mouth without invitation. His Shu tasted sweet as usual, though he could faintly detected lingering saltiness from when the kid sucked him off before. **

**Himself and strawberry pocky. It was a fitting taste for Shuichi. **

**Shu's tongue licked against his own and attempted to taste Eiri's own mouth. Eiri ignored it, he wasn't done with Shuichi's flavour just yet. The bed frame creaked in protest as Eiri threw himself into his diminutive lover repeatedly. **

**He felt his own approaching orgasm and decided to release Shuichi. The boy came almost immediately, splattering both their stomachs in semen. Eiri didn't mind, the mixed expression of love, adoration and above all, immense pleasure on his brat's face served to get him off as well and he exploded into Shuichi with a grunt. **

**"Eiri," Shuichi gazed above at him with a love-sick expression. "I love you." **

Eiri opened his eyes and stared at the star-shaped splatter on the wall of the shower.

**"I love you."**

It echoed in his head. Eiri tried to remember a moment when he'd said it back and came up blank.

Nope, never.

Well, that was a good thing, Eiri decided, he couldn't have the brat getting any false ideas. He might get the idea that they were permanent, start entertaining the prospects of marriage...and children.

The sobering thought of his current brat-less situation came at last. Eiri knew that even if the brat came to his senses and returned there would still be no way in hell he'd mutter the words back.

He didn't love Shuichi. He was just pissed that the brat's tight little ass wasn't there to fuck anymore.

That the kid had abandoned him and not the other way around utterly heckled him. It was like living in the fucking twilight zone.

Perhaps he'd entertained the thought a few times in the past when he felt like an injection of angst but never before had he actually considered the possibility...

Dammit Shuichi!

Eiri looked at the spattering of cum on the wall with annoyance and turned the shower head on it until it ceased to exist. Like Shuichi and his future together.

He stepped back under the hot spray and finished washing before turning off the shower and stepping out. There were still two towels on the towel rack. A force of habit, but he used the extra one for his hair now. One wrapped around his waist and the other draped around his shoulders to catch the extra drops.

He left the warm steam of the bathroom and padded down the hallway to _his_ bedroom. There he dropped both of _his_ towels and pulled on a pair of silk pyjama pants before flopping down diagonally on _his_ bed. Both sides of it.

He stared at the ceiling blankly, at a loss at what to do now. He supposed he could write but he didn't particularly feel like it. He could cook himself dinner for one. Or he could go get piss drunk in front of the television. Eiri decided on the latter option.

He had just taken his first gulp when the phone rang. Eiri glared at the distraction. It was probably fucking Nakano, checking up on him. The annoying guitarist had somehow decided to take it upon himself to adopt Eiri into his mother hen complex when Shuichi left. Well, now the brat was back so what was the fucking point in bothering him? He had enough of the hovering shit from Tohma. He was surprised that the two of them hadn't started a bitch-fight over him by now. But knowing them, they probably worked out a schedule for leaving Eiri with no alone time.

He decided to answer the phone anyway, if he didn't then either or both of them would turn up at his door with the fucking ambulance on hand.

Drama queens.

"Eiri speaking." He grunted into the receiver.

There was silence on the other end. Fucking prank callers. This was an unlisted number so they had to have made it up off the top of their head and lucky for them, they got Yuki Eiri.

"Who the fuck is this?" He didn't have to worry about being polite; all his business calls were directed to his work phone. This phone number was for Uesugi Eiri and the only people who called it were ones he didn't give a fuck about offending.

A snuffled sounded on the other end. It was so small and pathetic and eerily familiar. It caused a memory to play unbidden in his mind of the last time he got a phone call like this, two years ago.

"Shuichi?" He whispered. Yes, this was entirely like that fateful call. The one that signified the start of the T-zone installment he found himself in now.

"Y-Yuki..." His brat stuttered, sounding utterly terrified. "You have to help me, _please_."

Eiri felt like he'd been given a second chance. This was it; the potential end of the twilight period. That was, if he played his cards right. That the twilight zone episode began with a scared phone call from Shuichi and ended with one seemed fitting to Eiri. He was an author after all and could appreciate the irony of the situation. This was fate giving him a second chance he knew he didn't exactly deserve but this time around he was going to do the right thing. He was going to save Shuichi.

"Where are you Shu?" He asked; his voice low and urgent.

This time around, he'd get his brat back.

-

-

-

* * *

Present time.

Imperial Hotel.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

"We are completely and utterly fucked." Danny groaned, cradling his head in his hands.

Dolly rolled her eyes. "Christ Danny, there's no need to be so bloody dramatic. He's just a single man."

"Yes, a single man with–"

**BOOM! **

The ceiling caved in.

"Oh for the love of..." Aubrey threw her hands up in exasperation. "Is it too much to ask for you chaps to stay in a single hotel room that don't end up with the place suing us for the price of the bleeding renovations?!"

"Hey, that so was not us." Autumn defended, her arms crossed.

Aubrey stopped mid-rant and looked up. "Then what...?"

Her eyes fell onto a blonde man standing triumphantly atop a pile of debris. He pointed a gun directly at her.

"Sodding hell!" Aubrey squeaked. "Who the bleeding heck is this bloke?"

"K?" Shuichi and Hiro asked simultaneously. Though Hiro's gasp of surprise sounded more like "Hay?"

"Hi there!" K boomed.

"Oi! Excuse me matey," Aubrey recovered her bravado and stood, hands on hips, glaring at him. "You're paying for that yeah?"

"Huh?" K looked down at the damage he wrought. "Put it on Tohma Seguchi's tab." He shrugged before firing a few rounds into the new sky-light. "Now everybody freeze!"

That wasn't particularly necessary as no one seemed too keen to move anyways and risk gaining his attention. Or at least that was what was going through half of the mind of the occupants. The rest were too dumbstruck by K's sudden and destructive appearance.

The rule, as always, proved an exception to Ryuichi who clamped himself onto K's unarmed side and began babbling madly in the midst hysterical crying.

"K–sob–bad–hiccup–meanie–gurgle–Redfish–whimper–Kuma–howl–I TOLD HIMMMM!!!!" He finished in a wail.

But K was well versus in deciphering the Ryuichi Code. "Quiet down Ryu. I'm here to help."

"You can help by telling me exactly what the fuck is going on." Eiri's snapped.

Hiro let out a noise of agreement...or constipation. Autumn gasped and started tending to him again.

"I think that falls to a single person here." He shook off Ryuichi and began walking slowly around the room. He pointed his gun at Aubrey again who stared blankly at him, he slid it past Hiro and paused at Autumn. He moved the gun to Eiri and back to Autumn and let out a chuckle before pointing it at Danny who began hyperventilating. Shuichi sneezed and K spun around to point it at him.

"Shuichi." Shuichi rubbed at his nose before sighing in defeat. "Well, I suppose it started when–"

"Move." K demanded, making shifting motions with his gun. Shuichi shrugged before shifting aside to reveal the person standing behind him.

K began to speak, his cold blue eyes not leaving his target. "I've been doing some research. NG keeps profiles on each of you. Very interesting read. Very...instructive."

Autumn made a noise at the back of her throat and darted her glance across the room. Danny seemed to be attempting to suck all oxygen from the room. Dolly stayed silent, her equally icy eyes not leaving K's.

K stepped forward. "Birthday: October 17, 1984."

He took another step closer. "Height: 5'1."

And another. "Eyes: Grey."

And another. "Hair: Blonde."

And another. "Ethnicity: an 'English Rose'."

He was almost face to face now. He took another step and pressed the gun against her forehead.

"Name...Dolores Elizabeth Rothford." He announced. "She's a traitor."

He cocked the gun.

-

-

-

* * *

The night before.

The streets of Tokyo.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

Eiri was moving through traffic like a bat out of hell and God help anyone who dared get in his way.

Fucking move! He twisted the steering wheel hard to avoid an unlucky pedestrian who attempted to cross the street. He then ran two red lights and a dog before screeching to a halt outside the prestigious Imperial Hotel and tossing his keys mindlessly to the stunned valet.

"That comes back any less that the condition I gave it to you and your head is on the line." He warned over his shoulder before striding into the lobby.

The young man gulped and wondered if he'd perhaps made a mistake when selecting his first occupation. But then he looked at the sexy Mercedes he got to drive and decided the job was much worth it, provided the owner didn't notice any stains on the seat.

"Good evening and welcome to the Imp–" The chirpy woman at the desk was cut off abruptly by the realisation that the men in front of her was indeed her secret heart-throb. "Yuki-sensei! Welcome." She bowed repeatedly.

Eiri decided to turn on the charm.

He winked.

The woman swooned.

"Penthouse." He said in a voice that oozed charisma and promises of orgasms to come.

"H-here..." The woman swayed in her seat and mindlessly gave Eiri a swipe-card.

Eiri flashed her a dazzling smile. "Arigato," He subtly checked her name tag. "Tomo-san."

Tomo stopped breathing at the idea of her idol knowing her name. "I'm welcome...I mean, you...made me welcome?" She waved dumbly before slumped on the desk, spent.

It was times like this that Eiri lovingly embraced his inherent sex appeal.

Another pimply youth was manning the elevator when Eiri got on.

"Penthouse." He attempted another sultry look in order to make the trip go faster. Eiri charm was generally indifferent to inconsequential things such as gender and so worked on both male and female.

The acne-prone adolescent gave him a strange look and shifted slightly away from him.

Unfortunately it didn't always work.

Eiri death!glare-d the boy instead. That made the kid turn away again but for much more satisfying reasons.

The elevator slid smoothly upwards and the boy, Kei, prayed it would go faster before this bipolar fag either came onto him again or slaughtered him in the elevator. He knew he should probably ask for the guy's key card to validate his presence in the penthouse but he really could not bring himself to speak to the weirdo.

And it wasn't as if he did it for the other people who went up there. Like the blonde guy who's homicidal aura was even stronger than this guy's. He hadn't wanted to speak to that one either. Pity they both went up to the highest level; it meant he was stuck with them for longer than usual.

He stared at the floor numbers, mentally counting along until the elevator let out a sharp **ding** and stopped.

"The, um penthouse, sir." Kei croaked out, his voice breaking to a squeal in the middle of it. He blushed and waited for a tip; the foreign guests tipped the best and this guy looked rich.

Eiri wondered why the pimple-boy was staring at him like a hungry dog instead of opening the door. His first thought was that it was some sort of delayed-reaction to his sexy smirk. Ugh. This kid had nothing on Shuichi's smooth flawless skin.

The boy cleared his throat, it sounded to Eiri like gravel going down a garbage disposal. He should just tip the kid and leave. The internal realisation of what pizza-face was waiting for hit him like a sledgehammer and Eiri would have blushed if it wasn't for the fact that he never blushed.

He dug in his pocket and grabbed the first couple of notes he found. "Here." He muttered, shoving them into the boy's outstretched hand.

"Arigato." Kei bowed and opened the doors to reveal the penthouse hallway. "Have a good evening sir." He said as the door began to close again.

He vaguely wondered if the guy actually had a key or if he was some sort of stalker/serial killer type who got the real penthouse occupants outside by knocking on the door and claiming 'room service'. Then he'd bash them over the head with one of the ornamental chairs in there.

He'd definitely get fired then for letting the guy up there. Bipolar fag-san had better have left him a big tip.

Kei looked at the notes in his hands. They amounted to about two American dollars.

Cheap bipolar faggot-san!

----------------------------

Eiri strode with great strides towards the pale white insignificant door that separated him from his soon to be un-ex-lover.

He fought the strong urge to kick down the door. It was, after all, obscuring his path to Shuichi. But considering the amount it cost to stay one night in this hotel, he didn't particularly believe he could afford to buy a replacement.

Instead he focused his anger at the obstruction into an especially vicious turning of the doorknob.

The penthouse inside was almost completely obscured in darkness. The only thing saving it from utter pitch black was not, in fact, the stars as the hotel was located in Tokyo and the night sky was mostly blocked out by a thick smog. The city itself glowed through the wall of windows from beneath and cast a ghostly glow into the room.

No one appeared to be home though Eiri's caller ID assured him the call came from here.

"Shu?" He called softly into the near darkness. "You here?"

Somewhere in the gloom he could hear the sound of uneven breathing.

"Shu," he said again. "I'm going to turn the light on now."

"**No!**" Came the panicked whispered from the darkness.

Eiri frowned and scanned the shadows until he found one slightly deeper than the others. It was the shape of someone curled up in the space between a couch and the wall. Every so often it let out a shuddering breath and trembled all over like jelly. Cautiously he made his way over to the shivering lump and knelt down.

"What the fuck happened to you?" He could just make out two large luminous eyes staring blankly back at him. "It's me." He added, unsure if Shuichi could tell. Usually he'd assume the sound of his voice identified him but at the moment he wasn't sure Shuichi was capable of that kind of deduction.

The kid looked like something, or someone, had taken his brain and pissed all over it.

"_Yuki_..." Shuichi breathed the name out.

Eiri laid his hand on Shuichi's arm. The kid jolted back at the contact as if it burnt him. He let out a pained hiss.

"Shuichi?" Eiri tried to keep the rising thoughts of panic at bay. It was obvious his brat was hurt in some way but without turning on the light he had no way of knowing how badly he was injured. He hadn't felt any blood on Shuichi's arm but he knew better than anyone that some wounds didn't produce blood. "I need to turn the light on, I need to see if your hurt."

"No, no, no..." Shuichi chanted under his breath. His gleaming eyes turned to Eiri. "Don't let them find me, _please_."

Eiri felt a cold prickling sensation all over his arms.

'Them', he'd said. Don't let _them_ find me.

The curious absence of Shuichi's band mates weighted heavily on his mind. "Who is 'them' Shu?" He growled, already thinking of ways of beating the shit out of those pompous Rampage fucks. Even Autumn.

Shuichi let out a whimper at his tone and attempted to curl deeper into himself.

Eiri cursed internally at himself and attempted to draw the rage back in. Shuichi had obviously been through enough that night without Eiri scaring him as well. He almost fell back in alarm as Shuichi suddenly loomed forward and gripped at him with surprising strength.

"_Them_," he hissed. "The **demons**."

Eiri choked on his last breath and stared at the almost visible purple of Shuichi's eyes. Shuichi had pulled them almost nose-to-nose.

"It's why I needed you here." Shuichi explained, an almost maniacal edge colouring his voice. "You're a trained Buddhist monk right?"

Dumbstruck, Eiri nodded.

"You can do an exorcism then. Get them OUT OF HERE!" Shuichi screamed directly into his face. "OUT! OUT! **OUT!**"

His head flew back and he bellowed to the ceiling. "**HEAR THAT FUCKERS? YUKI IS COMING TO GEEEEET YOUUUUU!**"

Eiri grasped Shuichi by the bare shoulders and pulled him back. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Brat? You're acting crazy!" Eiri shook him, trying to snap sense into him.

Shuichi stared at him blankly. Eiri glared at him, panting hard.

"Yu...ki..." The words slipped out of Shuichi's mouth before some sort of spark ignited in his brain and he flew forward again and pressed his lips onto Eiri's.

Eiri kissed back automatically as his brain furiously tried to catch up with all the sudden change of events. His mouth opened as Shuichi's tongue swiped against it and he let the brat explore his mouth before his old dominating streak fired up and he pushed Shuichi's sandpaper tongue out of his mouth and entered the brat's instead.

Instantly he blanched. Shuichi tasted nothing like he remembered. His mouth was dry and stale and had traces of something bitter like bile.

His mind whirled faster and he tried to pull back but Shuichi held fast.

"Please..." he muttered in between kisses. "Please don't leave...please..." His small hands pressed into Eiri's face almost painfully, untrimmed nails digging in and Eiri felt a slight wetness on his face as they broke the skin.

Finally Shuichi stopped and collapsed against Eiri instead. He buried his face into the collar of Eiri's shirt, muttering nonsense. Occasionally snippets of words were almost audible. Mostly they consisted of 'please' and 'don't leave'.

Eiri's arms rubbed down Shu's back and found not a stitch of clothing on his brat. He removed his jacket and wrapped it round the shivering boy. Eiri had shit all experience with children so he mimicked what Mika used to do when he had nightmares as a child. He rocked Shu softly and pressed kisses into the unfamiliar black hair. "Shhh Shu, I got you. Hush now."

His body was on autopilot and he retreated into his mind, trying to undo the knot of thoughts and memories in his head. He still had no idea what the fuck was going on but what he did know was that at the moment his brat needed him.

This was, of course, imperative to winning him back, his mind decided.

He squashed the thoughts concerning how nice the brat felt in his arms again. Even if he was a delusional, sobbing mess.

One thing was certain, and that was that he was going to get to the bottom of this. He had no idea how long he'd been sitting in the gloomy hotel room, cradling the shivering pile of brat but eventually a more cheerful noise assaulted his ears.

Eiri never particularly like cheerful noises.

Especially when they assaulted his hearing.

The door to the penthouse flew open and the room was lightened slightly from the lamps lining the hallway walls. Eiri turned his head slightly as the drunken figures of Danny Starr, Autumn Rose and Dolly Rampage came into view. They staggered through the doorway, Dolly and Autumn laughing hysterically as Danny recounted a story, completely with ridiculous miming gestures.

He acted out a lunching fall into an imaginary object. Autumn bent over holding her stomach as a fresh wave of giggles burst out. Dolly fell against the doorframe, laughing helplessly as she groped for the light switch.

Shuichi tensed in his arms and buried his face deeper into Eiri's neck as the room was flooded with light. Danny paused in his narration and Autumn and Dolly's laughter cut off suddenly as they noticed the occupants.

"Well, hello there?" Dolly said with a light curiosity.

"Eiri!" Autumn cried out happily. "You'll never guess what–"

"What's going on here?" Dolly cut across, having just noticed the figure in Eiri's arms. "Fuck, Shu...what did you do?" She barked, hands on hips.

Eiri felt a sense of possessive protectiveness rise up within him. "What the fuck do you mean what did he do?" He snapped. "You're the ones who left him here in this state. There's something wrong with him."

"Well duh! He's–" Danny started but stopped as Autumn lay a hand on him arm. She shook her head 'no'.

Dolly let out an unexpected burst of laugher. It sounded cruel and mocking. Autumn turned her head and Danny stared at the ground.

Eiri flew up, Shuichi still clasped to his chest. "You think this is funny?" He demanded.

Dolly smirked coldly. "Oh yes. Ignorance is often amusing to me."

There was a cold feeling in the pit of Eiri's stomach. He pushed it away, no way was he going to give that bitch her satisfaction at having got to him.

"Doll..." Autumn warned.

She ignored her. "Don't be so _naive_ Mr. Yuki." She spat the word like it dirtied her mouth.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Eiri ground out.

Dolly opened her mouth to answer but stopped as Autumn threw up her hands. "Sorry Eiri," She looked at him with sad green eyes. "But I'm having no part in this." She spun around and strode out of the room.

Danny watched her go with a kind of wistful expression like he wished he could follow. Instead he stayed.

"M-Mr Yuki, sir." He spoke up quietly. He cowered slightly under Eiri's glare. "Look in front of you...please."

"It's right under your nose." Dolly taunted; her arms on her hips.

Eiri swallowed and looked down at the shaking mess in his arms. "Shu," He moved his arms gently, trying to rouse the boy.

"Was he acting strange tonight, hmm?" Dolly challenged, she sounded slightly choked. "Out of character, even for Shu?" She swallowed hard.

Eiri ignored her.

"Yuki," Shuichi muttered and raised his head. Eiri looked into his big black staring eyes uncomprehendingly.

Black eyes? Shuichi had purple...

His first thought was that the brat was wearing contacts. But there was a ring of purple outside the dilated pupil.

Dilated from the dark? But it was light now.

Something pushed at the edge of Eiri's mind as he stared into the deep cold pits. Memories surfaces through the fog of his mind.

Shuichi's appearance in The Sakura Cafe.

His wearing sunglasses despite the lack of sun.

His detached new personality with intervals of the old Shu.

Hell, even Hiro came back from a few hours with them stoned out of this freaking mind.

The there was tonight...

_"Them. The **demons**." _

_"Get them OUT OF HERE!"_

That kiss.

The breakdown afterwards.

"Come on Eiri," Dolly's voice pierced his thoughts. There was a distinct lack of venom in it though. She sounded...tired. "It's not that hard sweetie."

Then, as Eiri gazed into Shu's non-Shu eyes it hit.

Not like a brick wall, more like the tiny bricks that had been thrown around in his head were steadily coming together.

No. It was an impossibility. Completely irrational. It made no sense at all.

This was _Shuichi_. He was high on life, what else did he need to take?

It was a lie. A huge fucking porker.

Shuichi was wearing contacts and they were all fucking skilled actors.

He gave Shuichi a little shake. Shu's head tilted back and he stared at Eiri with those fucking black hole eyes.

Those empty soulless black eyes.

Those empty soulless _drug-fucked_ eyes.

A sudden disgust welled up inside him for the pathetic farce of a Shindou Shuichi in his arms.

He let go.

Dolly let out a gasp as Shuichi hit the carpeted floor with a light **thud**. Shuichi gave a snort of wrong-sounding laughter and rolled around on the floor.

Eiri had already left.

* * *

_**Fuck it, let's end the chapter here. Just to piss you all off. I do love the drama. And I added a lemon for there was a distinct lack in this fic so far and I knew you weren't happy with me that the only one was the Dolly!Shu E one. Speaking of Dolly I feel I must defend her as I know she'll be getting bashed in the reviews (hint) for being mean to Eiri. Firstly, Eiri's a big boy and he can handle it. It was a hard thing for the Rampage group to reveal to Eiri. To them it seemed almost shameful, like a failure that they let Shuichi get like this. It was a blend between his past and present lives. They know how much Shuichi loves Eiri and know they'll have to be the ones to explain it to Shu when he's sober and to deal with the consequences of Eiri seeing something he was never supposed to know. The way Dolly deals with tough situations is to be tough back. It's a defence mechanism. Autumn left for her own reasons which will be revealed later on. On a lighter note, who guessed the secret about Dolly? I know one person did. Next chapter it will be Redford's secret that gets revealed and perhaps even a secret of Shuichi's. Like why he returned. Snow is heating up...now it's melting... Ha?**_

_**It's better to rule in Hell than to serve in Heaven...**_

_**Love Queen Cocaine**_

_**xoxo**_

* * *


	8. Dolly Darling

**Disclaimer; I don't own "Slept So Long." It's a Jay Gordan song. You might know it from Queen of the Damned; fucking love that movie.**

_**Oh, and I added character pictures on my profile. Check them out!**_

* * *

-

-

-

* * *

**Snow.**

-

Chapter Eight.

* * *

-

-

-

* * *

Three days earlier.

NG Records.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

It was an interesting way to begin the song. Reminded him of construction. Not what he would have chosen but the melody weaving through it balanced the off-beat sound.

Not bad.

Piano notes played to compliment the melody.

Quaint. But the rock avec classical sound had already been done.

The song stilled for a moment and started a new beat altogether. A thumping twisted rift with that haunting melody as the key piece.

Shindou's coarse voice filled the office.  
_  
"Walking.  
Waiting.  
Alone without a care.  
Hoping.  
And hating.  
Things that I can't bear."_

The lyrics weren't terrible.

Much.

A little mainstream 'emo' for his tastes. And most definitely not Bad Luck. But still, he felt disappointed.

Mainstream was not the sound he was hoping for.

_"Did you think it's cool  
To walk right up  
To take my life  
And __**fuck it up**__  
Well did you?  
Well did you?"_

Well, well, there it was.

The anger, the passion, the rage. The selling point for Rampage.

These lyrics appeared to harness for Shindou what Bad Luck never could. That darkness he's always known was inside him. That internal rage that had been subdued with chirpy techno and a thirst for life.

It appeared he was free from that constant optimism.

Marvellous.

_"I see hell in your eyes  
Taken in by surprise (surprise)  
Touching you makes me feel alive  
Touching you makes me die inside"_

The thundering sounds of the chorus were seductive in a way. It would attract the masses; that was for certain.

This song endeared itself to him the more he listened to it. Or perhaps it was Shindou's magic working itself on his eardrums.

He felt little regret for the dissection of Bad Luck. Their new vocalist was driving them in new directions; they were making their mark on the world of J-rock. It was for the best.

No regrets. It was just business after all.

His intercom buzzed. He hit pause on the remote just as Shuichi's voice hissed out. _"I...hate...you!" _

"Yes?" He asked politely, leaning back to catch the last of the afternoon rays coming through the large window behind him.

The window was a useful tool; he usually scheduled his meetings from midday so anyone who entered his office was gifted a blinding shot of light straight into their eyes. It amused him to see every single person who entered his office to wince and squint with regret almost immediately after.

"They're here to see you now, Seguchi-sama." His personal assistant; Mikoto; informed him.

"Thank you. Send them in."

-

-

-

* * *

Present day.

Imperial Hotel.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

The click of the safety's removal seemed to echo through the stunned silent room.

K's words weighed heavily down.

Traitor.

Treacherous.

Treason.

A serious offence.

One calling for capital punishment.

Dolly couldn't help but secretly hope it would come to that. It wouldn't, she knew it wouldn't. It never did.

The gun was for show; that man, K, he was an entertainer. She could see that. From his explosive arrival to his utterly drawn-out extravaganza to expose her. It was absolutely soaked into his being.

She'd seen it before. Her father enjoyed theatrics as well. Only his never ended with applause. There were similarities between the two, that much was certain. Both tall, blonde with an affinity for drama...and guns.

But she'd gone this long without Red Rothford killing her and she didn't particularly expect his doppelganger to do what Red never had. It didn't work like that.

"Admit it." The hard steel muzzle of the gun dug harder into her forehead.

Dolly felt her lips curve into a smirk. The man had no intention of killing her she knew. She wouldn't get his answers from a corpse. But she decided to play nice, for the sake of Shuichi.

Heaven knows no one else was competent enough to protect him. Excluding perhaps that Ryuichi creature. Now he was a commodity she had never experienced. Her eyes slid in his direction. That frightened expression he was wearing slipped as he met her gaze.

He winked once. Dolly gave a twitch of one eyebrow in reply.

He was delightfully new. She decided she would get to know him a little better once she got Red out of the way.

Unfortunately she would need help for that. She wasn't naive (how she fucking hated that word) enough to underestimate Red. He was dangerous. And what's more, he was a danger to Shu.

Therefore intolerable.

She turned her attention to dear Autumn; her flower child was clinging like a needy child to that guitarist friend of Shu's. Hiroshi. The name was smooth and she liked it. It suited him. It also provided Autumn with 'hero' puns galore due to his gallant catching.

It was like watching a romantic scene from a movie. Dolly adored romance movies. Their fairytale happy endings were a refreshing change from reality.

Hiroshi, she decided, would stay. He looked good for Autumn.

Near them, car keys still in hand was Eiri Yuki. He still had obviously not gotten over that little episode of Shu's. She felt pity for him of course but mostly annoyance. If one short-coming was going to turn him off then he most definitely did not deserve the love of her precious Shu.

Her eyes narrowed at him and he returned the gesture.

She decided to see if he had the balls to care for her Shu. If he won he got another chance, if he got it wrong then she would take him out.

She turned her attention back to the man pointing a gun in her face...and yawned.

K's blue orbs narrowed. "Wrong answer." His finger twitched towards the trigger.

Dolly could hear the intake of breath from Autumn and the increased hyperventilation from Danny. Poor Danny-boy was most likely having heart failure. That boy was far too high-strung for his own good.

"Fine." Dolly shot K a cat-like smile. "Get that fucking gun out of my face and we'll talk."

K shrugged and lifted his weapon. "Run and I shoot." He warned.

Dolly winked. "Gotcha." She turned to the audience, after all; daddy wasn't the only one who enjoyed theatre, and cleared her throat. "Redford Rothford; English mob boss, the one who wants Shuichi's head on a pike, is my father."

Gasps of shock all around.

Autumn's Hiro was looking at her with a new view.

Eiri had an unimpressed look on his face as if he'd expected something like this all along. Well of course he had, he was a novelist. Erratic plot twists were his forte.

Ryuichi was sucking his thumb and staring with wide blue eyes.

Shu stared at her with a look of absolute betrayal on his face. "Dolly...how could you do this do us?!" Dolly was not impressed. She stared point-blank at him until he crumbled. "Okay, we knew all along."

Eiri cuffed the back of Shuichi's head. "Idiot." He turned to the other Rampage members. "So this Red guy, he wants to kill the moron here? Why?" He looked for confirmation.

"He hates Shu for marrying his baby girl." Danny tried to explain.

Dolly snorted and rolled her eyes. Embellishments were a useless waste of time in a situation such as this.

"It's because Shuichi here can't keep his dick in his pants." Autumn put in.

Shuichi gaped at her. "Oh sure, let's consider the amount of people you're slept with and _I'm_ the slut?!"

Autumn flushed as Hiro turned to her with a puzzled look. "It's, uh, not that many." She quietly assured him.

"Cut the bullshit and give me a straight answer." Eiri was beginning to get pissed off with everyone pussyfooting around.

"Like Danny said," Shuichi told him. "The guy's my father-in-law and holds a grudge against me for marrying his daughter."

"Why?" Eiri asked sarcastically. "Didn't you ask his permission or something?"

"No," Shuichi said airily. "I asked."

"Then what's the problem?"

Shuichi coughed awkwardly. "...he said no."

"And you did it anyway?" Eiri yelled at him. "Jesus fucking Christ, you are a moron."

Dolly decided that perhaps she would grant him a second chance after all.

He turned to Dolly. "You, you know this guy. You can help us find a way to stop him getting to the dumbass over here."

Eiri appeared to be struggling with asking for help from his rival in love. Dolly liked the sound of that; rival in love. It sounded dashing and idealistic. Like a fairytale romance. A beautiful princess (Shu) torn between two suitors. Dolly would be the white knight; virtuous and kind while Mr. Eiri would be the black knight; dark and alluring. Time would tell who would win the battle. Until then, the fight would rage on.

"What the fuck do you think I've been doing bringing him all the way over here?" She faced off against him with hands on hips.

"Well it appears to have done shit all." Eiri spat back.

Dolly realised then how very much taller her was. An entire foot in fact. That wasn't fair play at all.

"Look guys," Autumn the peace-loving hippy tried to intervene. "Arguing like this in a 'my dicks bigger than yours' thing isn't going to help at all."

Dolly looked at her strangely. "Autumn, I don't have a penis."

"Dolly," Autumn said in a sarcastically annoyed tone. "I was being metaphorical."

"Well how was I supposed to know that?"

"Because we both know you're a girl so why would I–"

K let loose another round of shots into the ceiling.

Autumn jumped and half-hid behind Hiro. "Shit dude. That guy is a fucking psycho."

"OI! I SAID TO STOP FUCKING DOING THAT!" Aubrey shrieked at the Bad Luck manager.

K shrugged. "It get's their attention." He raised his voice to address the rest of the room. "Everybody needs to sit down and shut up until I get all the facts." He waited exactly 3.2 seconds before firing another shot.

That got everyone moving. Autumn yanked Hiro down onto one of the love seats. Shuichi managed to get between Dolly and Eiri on the couch and Danny occupied one of the arm chairs. Ryuichi sat on the floor and played with Kumagoro, apparently unaffected by anything going on around him. Aubrey refused to take a seat and stood beside K instead, sending silencing glares every time it looked like someone was going to speak up.

"Now," K started when it was completely silent. "From what I can understand from all of that bickering, Shuichi is in trouble."

Shu opened his mouth to protest but both Dolly and Eiri dug an elbow into his side to shut him up. Shu closed his mouth and sat there pouting and holding his abdomen.

"Because of Miss Roth-_Rampage_ here," He corrected when Dolly sneered at him. "Miss Rampage's father is a...English mob boss?" K chuckled quietly to himself at the idea. "And Ryuichi told this guy Rothford where Shu is staying while he's in Japan. That's the gist of it?"

"More or less," Dolly said.

"But, of course, we haven't gotten to the reason _why_ Rothford senior is after Shu." K clarified.

"Ask Shu." Dolly, Autumn and Danny said simultaneously.

"Shuichi?" K pounced. "Anything to say?"

Shuichi looked at Eiri out of the corner of his eyes. "No."

"Nothing?" K prodded.

"Nope." Shuichi shook his head.

"Not even a hint why?"

"N-"

"Shu banged the guy's heir's wife." Autumn blurted. She clasped her hands over her mouth with mortification. "Ha-ha, whoops. Word vomit. Sorry Shu."

"Traitor." Shu muttered looking uncomfortable. He fidgeted with the hem of Eiri's shirt, feeling the eyes on him like a sledgehammer. "Can I go?" He asked without looking up.

"Why, so you can go snort a few lines to make yourself feel better?" Eiri muttered out of the corner of his mouth, snatching his shirt hem back.

"Hey," Shu's head snapped up. "I'm sober now. As fucking painful as it is. Isn't that what you want?"

Dolly noticed his hands clench as they began to tremble. "Shu baby, why don't you go lie down for a while?"

Shu nodded stiffly and allowed her to pull him up from the couch.

K stepped in front of them. "Shu stays until I'm satisfied." He ordered.

Dolly sent a pleading look at Aubrey who took over immediately. "Look, you annoying fucking gun-crazed American git," She stabbed a manicured finger into his chest. "I ain't gonna have you sacrifice the health of my musicians just you can get your answers." She told him. "Shuichi ain't the only one who knows what's going on. You got two perfectly helpful people right here in Autumn and Danny and Dolly will be along as soon as she gets Shu settled."

Of course by the time she'd finished her little rant Dolly had already ushered Shu into the master bedroom and shut the door.

Bless Aubrey Kane and her ability to ramble. Dolly adored her manager; she was like a second mother. Dolly's first one being dead, of course.

Shuichi burst in hushed weeping as soon as they were out of view. "Oh sweetie." Dolly pulled him close against her and wrapped him tight in her arms.

"He hates me." Shu whispered.

"No," Dolly murmured into his dyed hair. She didn't particularly like the harsh black colour; it kind of washed him out. But of course it was necessary for his disguise. "If he hated you he wouldn't be in that room. He wouldn't be figuring a way out of this for you."

"But he's angry?" Shu asked; his little hands were clasping the material of her dress like a small child.

"Yes." Dolly answered. She didn't see any point in lying to him. About this at least. "But anger's not forever Shu." She guided him over to the bed and sat him down. "It's one of the most passionate emotions. But it is a temporary one."

She went into the bathroom half-hidden off to the side of the large bed that took up the majority of the room. Inside the large marble and gold room she retrieved a soft white flannel and dampened it in warm water. She returned to the bedroom and began to clean off the black circles surrounding Shu's dull purple eyes.

"I can do it." Shuichi muttered, snatching the flannel off her and rubbing it against his eyes hard.

"Suit yourself." Dolly told him and went back to the bathroom in search of one of the beautifully crafted crystal glasses meant for rinsing mouths after teeth-brushing. She looked through the hastily packed toiletries bag; it wasn't hard to find what she was looking for as most of the bags contents were already scattered in various places around the bathroom leaving stains of make-up and hardening white globs of toothpaste on formerly pristine surfaces. She filled the glass with cold water and took it to Shu along with a white pill.

"Valium." She answered his silent question. Shu swallowed the pill and smiled at her tiredly. "Go to sleep my love, we'll have this figured out in the morning." Dolly stroked his hair.

Shu obligingly got back under the covers and allowed Dolly to fuss over tucking him in. Once she got it sorted to her standards she bent down and kissed him softly on the lips. "Sweet dreams darling one."

Shu gave her a drowsy smile and closed his eyes. "I love you, Dolly." He breathed.

"I love you too." Dolly kissed his forehead before turning out the light and leaving the room quietly.

As soon as she stepped out of the master bedroom the full force of raised voices hit her. Dolly winced and grumbled to herself as she returned to the lounge. "Stupid fucking..."

Aubrey and K were apparently locked in a heated screaming match with him waving his gun around far too often. Perhaps he was compensating for something, Dolly mused.

Hiroshi's nose had begun to bleed again and Autumn was being frantic trying everything under the sun to try and stop it. She was obviously doing nothing in the slightest for him but he was too kind or enamoured with her cleavage to speak out.

Danny had taken over her and Shu's seats on the sofa and was speaking energetically to Eiri who was giving monotonous answers at various periods.

Ryuichi was once again in his own little world.

They were fucking procrastinators, each and every one of them. Dolly decided to take charge.

"Hey." Her voice was immediately drowned out by the noise in the room.

Dolly thanked the guy upstairs that the master bedroom was soundproof. Though with that V in him Shu was most likely out like a light.

"OI!" She bellowed. The sound cut off abruptly as though someone had hit a mute switch. "Much better." She surveyed all of them. "Now you two," she gestured at the duel-managers. "Need to sit down. Preferably in separate places; I don't want to waste any more time with your pointless bickering."

K looked like he was going to object but Dolly sent him a steely gaze and he shrugged and sat down in Danny's former place. Aubrey sat in another armchair and glared over at the gun-toting American. Autumn was frantically waving her arm trying to get Dolly's attention.

"What?" Dolly looked annoyed at the interruption that happened before she'd even begun.

"I need to take Hiro to the emergency room." Autumn blurted out. "His nose won't stop bleeding and I'm kind of afraid for the possibility of blood-loss now."

"Okay, fine, whatever." Dolly interposed with annoyance.

"Take my car." Eiri tossed her the keys.

Hiro looked like he was going to choke in shock. Apparently there was some sort deeper meaning to that. Dolly decided to look into it later.

"But I swear Autumn, you break it–"

"And you'll break me. Gotcha!" Autumn winked before dragging Hiro out of the room.

"And you're in charge of explaining it to him!" Dolly called after her.

"Okay!" Autumn yelled in reply before the door slammed behind her.

"Right, let's begin,"

"Where's Shuichi?" Eiri asked.

Dolly's eye twitched at the interruption. "Dead to the world in bed; he wasn't feeling well." She explained as calmly as she could. "Now the next person who interrupts will be castrated. That goes for you too, Aubrey." She added before her manager could speak up. "Red Rothford is dangerous, a wanted killer whose reign of terror stretches over thirty years. He is also my father and so I know him better than anyone else in this room. I know how he thinks and I know how he works. I'm the best chance Shuichi has at survival."

K looked like he wanted to say something.

"Yes?" Dolly gestured for him to go ahead.

"Get me three grenades and an M4 and I'll take care of the guy." He smirked.

Dolly sighed in irritation. "Like that's worked before. He's clever, wary and absolutely brilliant. It's how he's managed to stay on top for three decades."

K just looked excited at the prospect of a challenge.

"You still haven't explained what Shuichi's done to piss this guy off." Eiri prodded. He was getting fucked off at the lack of action.

"I'm getting to that." Dolly insisted. "Obviously my father and I aren't on the best of terms." She ignored Danny's snort of "You can say that again." and sent him an annoyed glare. "We've had our...differences which have resulted in erm, 'explosive' arguments a few times."

"Get to the point." Eiri interrupted.

"Castration." Dolly warned. "Well as I am a girl and this cannot possibly take over his empire, as if I bloody wanted to, he appointed my cousin Alexander Rothford as his heir. And the only thing that jumped up nancy twat achieved was getting some dumb bint to marry him. With whom Shu had...intercourse."

There was a confused silence in the room as Eiri and K, the others already knowing and Ryu still preoccupied, attempted to bypass the family rant and get to the point.

Dolly huffed in frustration. "Shu shagged my cousin's wife alright?"

There was a collective 'ohhh'.

"You're not angry about it?" Eiri asked.

"Of course I am! It's going to get him flipping killed!" Dolly screamed at him. Someone _please _remind her what was the point was in even including these idiots in the plan for Shu's safety?

"But you're not mad about Shu fucking someone else?" Eiri looked suspicious.

"For God's sake, what does that have to do with anything?!"

"They have an 'open marriage'" Danny explained quietly to Eiri.

"DHANESH SARIN!" Dolly shrieked. "SHUT YOUR GOB!!"

Danny mimed zipping his mouth shut, locking it and throwing away the key. Eiri however looked interested at the new information and vaguely pleased.

Dolly saw the look on his face. "Don't you go getting any ideas." She warned. "Now, back to the matter at hand."

"Sparkle sparkle."

"Pardon?" she blinked in bewilderment.

"Hey Dolly-chan?" Ryuichi knelt at her feet and looked up like a begging puppy.

Dolly melted internally. He was soooo cute!

"Yes?" She replied.

"This is too much for you to handle." Fun!Ryuichi went on temporary vacation and the serious version took the reins. Ryuichi produced a cell phone. "You need to call Tohma. Now."

"Ryu love," Dolly gently pushed away the cell phone. "He already knows."

-

-

-

* * *

Three days earlier.

NG Records.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

My, my, this was an interesting development.

He was disappointed in Shuichi; he thought the boy had more sense than to get involved with those kinds of people.

But, he surveyed the three people in front of him over steepled fingers; he had a feeling that they were holding something back. Something of relative importance. Never mind, he would figure it out eventually. If not, there were people he could hire to figure things out.

Right now he looked at the three; Dolly Rampage, Autumn Rose and Danny Starr, and smiled.

"Very well," he assured them. "As long as he is in Japan, Shindou Shuichi is under my protection."

-

-

-

* * *

_**Meh, let's end it there. I've kind of gotten tired of the scene in The Imperial Hotel's penthouse. But the characters are being so damn stubborn! All they seem to want to do is argue all the time so I had to use Dolly to get them in order. Bloody hell! Well I'm finally on my Easter holidays here at Uni and will be travelling back home for two weeks. Mostly likely I'll be able to work on some more Snow then. So look forward to that! **_

_**Stubborn**__** and ardent clinging to one's opinion is the best proof of stupidity...**_

_**Love Queen Cocaine**_

_**xoxo **_


	9. The Heir

* * *

-

-

-

* * *

**Snow.**

-

Chapter Nine.

* * *

-

-

-

* * *

Two Days Later.

The Sakura Cafe.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

Hiro rubbed his fingers against his aching head.

The three hours since he had arrived at the Sakura Cafe had been full of bickering, mostly domestic, between Mr. and Mrs. Shindou. Or Snow. Whatever it was that Shu was going by these days.

The constant arguing was really starting to get to him.

He considered himself a peaceful person by nature, hating most violence. It was just easier and less painful to solve things with words instead of fists. Unfortunately when you were friends with Shindou Shuichi, blabber-mouth extraordinaire, you tended to get mixed up in things you didn't really want to be. Gangster vendettas included.

Ugh, this was probably not good for his recovery at all.

He knew he probably looked ridiculous right now, with two bruises under his eyes and a swollen nose. Two days later and the swelling still hadn't gone down. He snuck a look at Autumn who was staring at his nose mournfully.

He laughed quietly to himself; she'd spend the majority of the last couple of days trying to make it up to him. He should probably tell her at some point that he forgave her but he was kind of enjoying the attention. He was a red-blooded male after all.

The thoughts caused a pang in his stomach. Yeah, maybe he should talk to her. He didn't want to give the wrong impression to her. That would cause a shit-load more drama that he did not need.

But unfortunately, distancing himself from her was harder than it looked. He was kind of getting attached to her.

To distract himself he looked around at the other patrons. They seemed to be sending a lot of glances in the direction of his table. That would either be because of Dolly and Shu's loud quarrelling, or because it was unusual for there to be a group as big as this in such a small cafe. The staff had even had to push two tables together to accommodate them.

In addition to the full Rampage posse; Dolly, Danny, Autumn, Shu and their weird manager who was listening to her iPod on full, there was also him and Eiri; the latter sitting there, chain-smoking and typing calmly. Also, they were expecting Seguchi-san three hours ago.

It was the NGR head who had suggested the cafe in the first place; he maintained that that Rothford guy probably wouldn't do anything in such a public place. Despite setting the place and the time, Seguchi-san hadn't even bothered to show.

Three hours in the company of two people who wouldn't shut the hell up...Regardless of his feelings towards violence, if Seguchi wasn't his boss, he'd pop him one right in the kisser.

If he ever showed that was.

Frankly, Hiro was surprised Eiri, who'd arrived an hour late himself, was even sticking around. The author was being his antisocial self, typing along on the laptop he'd brought with him, a cigarette permanently sticking out of his mouth. He seemed to be doing a fairly good job of ignoring the two loud-mouths sitting three feet from him.

Hiro looked suspiciously at him. It didn't add up, at all.

"Oh my god," Autumn finally burst. "Would you guys shut the hell up?! I feel like my eardrums are going to implode into my brain or something!!"

Well, Hiro thought wryly, if people weren't staring at them before they sure were now after that outburst.

"Nice." He muttered.

Autumn noticed the stares she was receiving and sunk back into her chair, her cheeks red. "Well, it was kind of getting to me, you know?"

"Yeah, I know." He assured her. "And, thanks. My head was killing me."

Her eyes lit up. "Ooh! I have some Midol in my purse if you want some."

"Isn't that stuff for periods?" Danny interrupted.

Hiro burst out laughing.

Autumn winced. 'Yeah...thanks for that Danny."

Hiro halted his laughter as his nose gave a particularly bad throb.

Autumn smirked. "Yeah well, serves you right, dude."

"It serves me right to have a broken nose?" Hiro asked mock-innocently. "I thought that was your doing, _Autumn_." He almost regretted his teasing as she flipped back into mother hen mode.

Across the table, Dolly and Shu had sunk back into whispered conversation that was sure to blow up into raised voices in a matter of minutes as had happened every other time someone had told them to shut up.

In fact, Hiro noticed, everyone had yelled at them at least twice except for Aubrey and Eiri. Aubrey, who was listening to old Bad Luck of all things, was understandable. But Eiri...

Hiro looked again at the oblivious novelist. "It's weird," he whispered to Autumn and Danny; the only two people who were listening, "How had he managed to concentrate this whole time?"

Danny shrugged. "Mister Yuki is gifted in ways that we mere mortals cannot even comprehend."

Hiro gave him a strange look. "Gifted in terms of being permanently pissed off maybe."

Autumn sucked the last of her drink through a straw, making an annoying slurping noise. "Eiri wears earplugs in situations where it's too loud for him to work." She informed them.

Hiro gave her a strange look too. "And how would you know that then?"

She shrugged. "Maybe I'm psychic?" She offered them. "I'm sure if you were psychic you would have stopped yourself from _breaking my nose_."

"Come on!" She begged. "I said I was sorry like a million and two times."

"You also pledged servitude for life to me, if I remember correctly." Hiro mused.

Danny smirked at his band mate. "Oh I know what kind of a slave _Autumn_ wants to be."

Autumn hissed something at him that Hiro couldn't hear. But apparently it was effective because the drummer turned pale, or as pale as he could get, and stared at his drink. Hiro looked enquiringly at Autumn. She winked. "I have wicked blackmail."

"The matter isn't under discussion." Dolly's voice interrupted them.

Shuichi scowled at her. "It's my life."

"Yes, well, until you figure out how to control it, your life decisions are in my hands."

"What are they talking about now?" Hiro asked Autumn who had suddenly stiffened. "Um, I'm not sure I want to know...**or that they want others to know**!" The last part she said extra loud so Dolly and Shu looked over at their audience.

Hiro was surprised at the death glare Dolly shot him. "We will continue this later." She warned Shu.

"Not if I have anything to do with it." Shu muttered under his breath. "Oi, where the hell is Seguchi anyways?"

Danny shrugged. "He's probably bailed on us. I wouldn't want to be involved with this...if this didn't concern Shu, whom I love." He backtracked, feeling Dolly and Autumn's glares on his face.

Dolly tapped her fingernails impatiently on the table before bolting up, catching the attention of all at the table including Aubrey who pulled her headphones off and Eiri who pulled out two small ear-plugs from his ears. Hiro wondered briefly how Autumn was right about that.

"That's it," Dolly declared into the sudden silence. She turned to Shu. "Get your coat dear; we're leaving."

Shu shook his head. "We're staying right here."

Right then Danny noticed something off about the sudden silence. "...guys..."

"You," Dolly stabbed a fingernail into her husband's chest. "have no say in this. This is all your fault after all. If you were at _all_ capable of keeping it in your pants–"

"Guys?"

"Look, despite my better judgement, I let you drag me here. I'm not going to run away again." Shuichi shot back.

Dolly let out a small shriek of frustration and grabbing her plate from the table, smashed it down onto Shuichi's head. "What better judgement?!" She yelled. "You have the **worse **judgement of anyone I've ever met!"

Autumn sighed. "This is going to take awhile."

"Guys!" Danny tried again.

"Shut up Danny." Shu snapped as he stood up as well, using the four inches he had on his wife to his advantage. "If I were to leave now, there is no way you could do anything about it." He told her before spinning round and storming off.

Eiri snorted. "Idiot, acting without thinking again." He stood too. "I'll bring his punk ass back."

"There's no need." Danny said airily. "He won't get far."

Eiri began to get a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dolly scorned.

Danny indicated behind him. "What I was trying to tell you before...they're already here."

Hiro turned around in his seat to see the proverbial elephant in the room he'd completely missed. Every patron; even the old baa-chan in table four, was pointing a gun right at them. He didn't need the tall blonde man, the only one without a weapon, walking towards them to realise exactly how much shit they were in right there.

Shuichi stood in the midst of them, his hands up, with a good half of the weapons pointed in his direction. "For the record," he called over his shoulder. "I really hate when this happens."

-

-

-

* * *

One day before.

The Imperial Hotel.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

The idea of family was strange, Shu decided. It was like a large tree with so many branches assigned to different people.

There was his blood family, but he wasn't really close to them excluding his sister. He hadn't yet spoken to his mother, nor knew if she wanted to, and his father died while he was in his self-exile. Or so Maiko had told him. Heart attack apparently.

Truth be told, Shu wasn't exactly sobbing at his gravestone. The man had been a bastard and Shuichi was never the son he wanted. He was never particularly good at the book shit, not bad at sports and fantastic at music. But if his son's career as a pop star pissed the guy off, the news that his son was shagging another man sent him over the edge.

Shu could still remember the day he was summoned to his childhood home; his mother in tears, his sister locked in her room and his father advancing on him with meaty fists clenched.

**(("I always knew you were a disappointment boy, but I NEVER raised you to be a fag.")) **

Shuichi squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated on his breathing for a few moments. He figured if he could count to twenty without giving in to the blue then he was in the clear. Literally.

...18.

...19.

...20. There. He did it.

Shuichi reached for Dolly's silk-tipped filters for a congratulatory smoke. He didn't give a fuck about smoking in the hotel room but he couldn't be fucked dealing with the smoke-alarm if it decided to go off. Ticking fucking bombs those smoke alarms were.

The ones back home

**((??)) **

–shutupshutupshutup-

always went off whenever he stayed in the bathroom too long and steamed it up.

So instead of risking getting a headache from the shrill noise, he decided to go sit on the balcony instead.

See? He was capable of fucking rational thought as much as the next person.

He lit up angrily and sucked smoke into his lungs; the burn wasn't as good as it was with weed, but Autumn had the stash and he couldn't be bothered being under her 'watchful eye'.

**((bABYSITTER.)) **

He kneaded his head in frustration. It seemed that whenever he thought he was getting better, he got worse.

He didn't feel like letting Dolly know; she was even more controlling of his actions than Autumn.

Bitch.

He felt resentful of her interference; dragging him back here and enlisting Seguchi's, of all people, help. Just let her fucking father come for him; he didn't give a fuck if he died. But then she had to bring Hiro and Eiri into it.

It would have been easier if he'd just died without ever seeing them again. They'd probably thought he was dead anyway so what was the big issue? Of course now they knew he was alive again he couldn't go off and get himself killed.

He might not give a fuck about his real family but he'd gained Hiro and Yu-Eiri as compensation. It was like he sawed off a chunk of his tree only to grow two new branches. And he had Dolly and Autumn and Danny and Aubrey, he supposed, too. So obviously his tree had grown substantially and now he had too many branches for him to just go off and die.

He suspected that Dolly knew this when she brought him here, but he could never be sure with her. She was sneaky.

It occurred to Shu that he didn't know very much about his band mates' trees. He knew they were bonded together and he knew some stuff about their lives but it occurred to him that no one in his band ever talked about their past.

He'd suspected some of the stuff that went on between Dolly and her father but for someone with her nose stuck in so many people's business, she was surprisingly private about her own.

He dragged deeply on the cigarette. It was funny; before he left Japan he'd never actually smoked. Even though his lover and best friend had both been chain-smokers, he'd never gotten into the habit himself. He snorted gently; now look at him. He was a regular chimney; that was for sure.

He blew out a large cloud of smoke. It clouded the air around her; kind of like his life was right now. Everything was so fucking clouded with him. Like there was a smoke screen constantly separating him from the outside world. But one thing was certain; he'd do anything and everything to keep Eiri and Hiro in the clear. They deserved better than him.

**((bROKEN)) **

Yuki Eiri's psyche had nothing on his. And Hiro wasn't even damaged anyway.

They were to be protected, at all costs.

He heard the sliding door open behind him. He sucked furiously on the cigarette.

Couldn't they leave him alone? Were they afraid he was going to jump off the balcony or something? He wasn't.

Not in Japan at least.

"Oh there you are." Dolly's perky voice greeted him. "I was wondering where you'd gotten off to."

"Without you to babysit, you mean?" Shu said bitterly. He flinched as her hands came up to stroke his hair.

She paused and put her hands back in her lap. "Please don't be like that Shu. We're doing all we can here...to save you."

"And what if I don't want to be saved, huh?" Shu demanded. "What then?" He knew she didn't particularly like his attitude, but at the moment he didn't really care. He felt a stinging slap on his cheek.

"You are selfish." He didn't expect that. He looked at her to see barely suppressed rage. "To think that your life is only about you." She spat. "There are people here who are _risking their lives_ for you." She cut across him before he could counter. "Oh I _know_ you never asked them to do that. You never had to. They love you, _we_ love you, and if you think that I'm going to sit here and listen to you completely disregard them like common rubbish then you have another think coming Shuichi Shindou!" She was panting heavily by the time she was done.

Shu turned back to his cigarette to avoid her glare. Perhaps he was selfish, a coward too.

"Autumn. Danny." She began listing. "Aubrey. Ryuichi. K. Me...think about Hiro, and Eiri."

Shu snorted. "What do you care about them?"

"Maybe I don't personally. But I care about you, and I care about Autumn."

"Autumn?"

Dolly flushed. "Erm, well haven't you noticed her with...Hiro?"

He had. His darling hippy friend wasn't the most discreet in her courtship. Or what she considered courtship; frankly he didn't see how breaking someone's nose would get them to like you. Poor Autumn; she was set up for failure.

The branches of his tree were interlinking. Maybe it was time to do a little pruning.

But to betray one friend to help another?

On the one hand, Hiro was his other half; his best friend. But what he was doing was inherently wrong and Shu knew Autumn deserved better. She was like his sunshine.

He knew that to put both together he'd choose Hiro on top each time.

**((But if the situation were to benefit Hiro?))**

A realisation occurred to him that if it did end up well, then Hiro would be exposed. That could not happen. It was for his own good that this little fling was nipped in the bud. And who was a better pruner that his darling wifey?

"It won't work out." He told her.

Dolly raised her eyebrows. "Why do you say that?" She asked curious. Like a bloodhound she sensed he knew something she did and that irked her. She wanted to know too.

Shuichi smiled cynically. "Because of Ayaka."

Now Dolly's curiosity was fully aroused. "And who, may I ask, is Ayaka?"

"His fiancé."

-

-

-

* * *

Present time.

The Sakura Cafe.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

Eiri noted that even though there was a plethora of weapons pointed at him and those in his company, his eyes, along with the rest of his companions, were drawn to a single figure walking slowly towards them.

Immediately Eiri took reference of the greying blonde hair of the man and the chilling grey eyes which Eiri could easily recognise as those of a killer.

They were the same eyes that stared at him in the mirror each day.

So this must be the infamous Red Rothford. He was older than Eiri had expected. Perhaps in his youth he had been handsome with a straight aquiline nose and defined jaw. But age and his many indiscretions over the years had taken its toll on his looks. His cheeks sunk in and Eiri could clearly see marks from the battle's that had won him his title and allowed him to defend it for thirty years.

Despite his age, he stood straight-backed and tall as he approached them with a distinctive loping grace that reminded Eiri rather of a lion.

He inadvertently swallowed as the man paused beside Shuichi. However, his gaze only passed over his son-in-law before searching and fixing on his daughter. A slick smile spread over his lips. "Hello Lolita."

Eiri felt rather than saw the girl tense and momentarily felt sympathy for her. The man was looking at her like a predator with a look unlike any Eiri had ever seen a father give his child.

Eiri looked discretely at all the guns and mentally cursed Seguchi for his tardiness. He swore than if he got out of this alive and found that the CEO had simply forgotten about the meeting then he was going to skin his brother-in-law alive.

It was unlike Tohma though, to flippantly forget about something of this importance. Even so, Eiri was going to _maim_ him.

He was broken out of his fantasies of medieval torture as Red spoke again, this time to Shuichi. "Sit down boy."

Eiri bristled automatically. No one was allowed to speak to the brat like that. Excluding himself of course.

Shu shrugged noncommittally but did as he was instructed. Eiri sent a glare at him; this was no time for adolescent attitudes.

Red himself grabbed a chair and joined them, sitting between Autumn and Danny who both shifted away. Red looked over at Danny who was shaking visibly. "Ah, Dhanesh. How have you been?" His voice was domineering and caused the sensitive drummer even more anxiety.

"I-I'm fine s-sir." Danny stuttered. "A-and you?"

"You don't have to answer him, Danny." Dolly told her band mate.

Red frowned at her but it was more mocking than anything. "Do not interrupt me, Dolores. I know I taught you proper manners _somewhere_ in your childhood."

There was something hidden in his words that Eiri didn't quite catch. He could tell Dolly did though as she stilled and sank back into her seat.

"Tell me, _dad_." Shu cut in. "Is there something you wanted? Or is this just a family reunion?"

Eiri froze at the blatant disrespect in her voice. Was the idiot _trying_ to get himself killed?? Oh he was going to throttle the brat as well when this was over.

He and Tohma could get to know each other...in the boot of Eiri's car.

Shuichi's rudeness didn't go unnoticed by Red either. But the gangster chose to ignore it; instead he selected a clean cup from the untouched tea-tray a waitress had brought over to their table prior to when everyone in the restaurant **pulled out a fucking piece**.

Everyone at the table watched with baited breath as he tipped a small amount of milk from the pitched into the cup and skilfully poured in tea. He stirred twice with a teaspoon before lifting the cup up to his lips.

If possible all air was sucked from the room at that very moment. He put the cup back on the saucer with an unreadable expression. "It's cold." He commented after a moment.

"It was served two and a half hours ago." Dolly said irritably.

Red nodded. "Ah." He didn't say anything for a few minutes after this and no one wanted to interrupt him either.

Finally he sat back and clicked his fingers. "Oh yes, now I remember. You asked whether I was here on business matters or personal." He directed this to Shu who nodded. Red sighed. "Unfortunately I am here on business only. Much as I enjoy visits with my only child."

Dolly twitched.

"You see," he continued. "I have had a member of my...family, lodge a complaint again you, my son." He smiled briefly at Shuichi.

Eiri noted that his eyes remained as chilling as ever.

"Naturally I cannot ignore such a complaint. So I come here, to you, to clear the air so to speak and get your opinion on the matter." Eiri became aware of more people moving through the crowd of mercenaries.

He saw Dolly's gaze fix on one; a young handsome man with dark hair and the familiar grey eyes. "Alexander." She muttered under her breath.

So this was the heir.

He watched as the man's eyes fell on Shuichi and his gaze tightened. Eiri tensed automatically. He didn't like the prick at all. Clearly Shuichi didn't either.

"And what," he said loudly. "If I don't want to 'clear the air'?"

"Shut up." Dolly hissed.

Red's eyes narrowed at him. "Then my men have every intention of 'helping' you until you become comfortable to share, Shindou."

"Are you sure they're still _your_ men?" Eiri had never been so glad to hear Tohma's feminine tones that at that moment there.

Red stiffened and the five newcomers reached in their pockets but halted as the guns that had been trailed on Eiri's grouping were now pointed at them. Red's own hand had been trailing beneath his coat, to a hidden holster no doubt, but he too froze as the cold metal of a gun pressed again his temple.

"Not so fast." Shuichi's former psycho manager boomed.

Eiri was happy to see him as well. Kind of.

"Unfortunately for you Mr. Rothford," Tohma came into view, weaving amongst the pseudo-customers. "The sums you paid for these mercenaries were easily topped."

Red raised his hands slowly and placed them palm down on the table. "Clever. Mr. Seguchi, I presume?"

"Yes." Tohma admitted as he approached them. Eiri could feel his brother-in-law's eyes on him and assumed he was being checked for injury.

"I fear that there has been a misunderstanding." Red offered.

"Oh?" Tohma's voice was cold.

"There was a case of crossed wires, I'm afraid, between my nephew Alexander and my son-in-law here. I intended to straighten out any confusion and extend my sincerest apologies to Shuichi and to tell him that he is welcome back into England anytime he pleases."

Eiri had to hand it to the man; he accepted defeat gracefully.

Tohma didn't look convinced. "The mercenaries–"

"Were for Shuichi's protection only." Red interjected. "I'm sure we both know of Mr. Shindou's volatile and impulsive nature. I couldn't have him doing anything too reckless and risking his own safety."

Shuichi looked like he was going to argue but Eiri shoved a biscuit in his mouth.

Tohma gave a short laugh. "No, we couldn't have that. I trust your misunderstanding is straightened out."

"It is no longer an issue." Red promised. "Alec here has forgiven and forgotten; he's even been seeing another young lady."

The NGR head smiled. "I hope all is going well."

"Yes." Alexander's voice sounded forced. "It's going splendidly. Hopefully one day she'll even be my wife."

"Because then she'd definitely sleep with me." Shuichi taunted.

The man's face screwed up in anger. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU SHINDOU!!" He bellowed and dove at Shu.

Eiri intercepted him before he could reach the boy and swung his fist into the man's gut. He collapsed on the ground, winded.

"Alexander."The warning tone in his uncle's voice was clear. "Enough."

One of the men rushed forward and helped the mob heir up. Alexander shook him off, face red with exertion. He took a long look at Yuki Eiri and committed his face to memory. Shouldn't be so hard; how many blonde-haired golden-eyed Japs were there anyway?

"I think," Red lifted himself off his chair slowly, aware of K's gun trailing his every move. "That it is time we took our leave."

"Perhaps that is best." Tohma agreed. K nodded and lowered his gun, though he kept the safety off.

"I hope that you still intend to make England your home, Shuichi. And that you don't let a little thing like this sour our relationship." He leant over to his daughter who instantly stilled and pressed a long kiss against her forehead. "I'll be seeing you shortly, daughter." With that, he turned and left the cafe, his posse following in his stead.

They stood in silence for five minutes after his departure before K nodded to the mercenaries who lowered their guns.

"Well," Danny broke the silence. "At least we can go home now. Right?" He looked at Dolly who was frowning at the table, lost in thought.

He turned to Autumn instead who sighed. "I don't know Dan."

"Well I hope you'll stick around for a while." Hiro smiled at her.

Shuichi swallowed. The conversation he had last night with Dolly was playing through his head. He looked at Eiri who was speaking furiously with Seguchi and K.

They nearly died today.

They could have easily died.

The thought of their deaths being on his conscience chilled him to the bone. He was a hazard to be around. He was like fucking catnip for danger.

He was a threat to their safety and maybe it was better for them if they didn't have to be around him, didn't have to know the truth about him.

They lived two years in safe ignorance; one week back and he's getting them threatened by gun-point. It was better for them if they stayed ignorant; if they lived their lives without him.

He was so out of control he'd just get them killed in the end and he knew it.

He stood. Dolly was right when she said he was selfish. But now he was going to do the right thing; he was going to sacrifice his happiness for their well-being.

"Shu?" Hiro asked, drawing all attention to him.

"It's over." Shuichi heard himself say. "There's no reason for me to be here anymore."

He couldn't even look at Eiri.

"B-but–" Hiro spluttered.

"No reason." Shuichi told him firmly.

And walked away.

* * *

_**Okay, FINALLY I'm moving the story along. The whole Red-arc thing was getting to be a bore. So I decided to just push through it. And Eiri was being a stubborn ass and refused to get written. So sorry for any OOC-ness in him. Hey, how many people saw the thing with Ayaka happening? I tried to drop a few hints and remember that she was mentioned in the first chapter. The Autumn and Hiro situation just became more interesting...**_

**_Cop or criminal: When _you'_re staring down a loaded gun, what's the difference?_**

_**Love Queen Cocaine**_

_**xoxo**_


	10. I'm a Starr

**Happy Wednesday Cassie! lol**

* * *

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* * *

**Snow.**

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Chapter Ten.

* * *

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* * *

Two days later.

Hakumei Apartments.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

"The name's Sakuma...Ryuichi Sakuma."

Ryuichi winked one large blue eye at his reflection.

His reflection shot a beaming white smile back.

Ryuichi waved goodbye and went back into the bedroom where his play mate awaited. He flopped down on the bed beside him. "Ne, I'm bored."

A slow grin slid across his companion's face. "Oh really? I know how to make _that_ go away." He shifted closer.

Ryu didn't notice. He sighed loudly and let out a shriek when fingers grabbed the bottom of his shirt. "Nyaa! Tat-kun! That tickles!" He squirmed, making it hard for Tatsuha to get a proper grip.

"Ryu-honey, quit playing hard to get." The monk tackled his idol back onto the bed and pinned him there.

"Umph! Tats you're squishing me!" Ryuichi protested as his playmate began to nibble on his neck. "I thought K-san said you weren't allowed to play the bitey game anymore?"

"What K...doesn't know," Tatsuha mumbled between kisses. "Won't hurt...him."

"I guess no– mmumph!" Ryuichi was cut off as Tatsuha's hot mouth slipped over his own.

The kissy game was one of Tat-kun's favourite ones. Except he always tried to stick his tongue in Ryu's mouth. It was kind of weird and made Ryu's tummy feel funny. But today he didn't feel like playing that game with Tatsuha.

He was feeling kind of sad because Shuichi left without even saying goodbye. K told him that the mean old Redfish wasn't chasing Shu-chan anymore and so he went home. Ryuichi wasn't so sure.

He pushed Tatsuha away. "I don't feel like playing that game, na no da." He told Tatsuha sadly.

The monk leant on his elbows and stared into his lover's face. "What's wrong, baby?"

"How come Shu-chan left?" Ryu asked.

Tatsuha sighed. "I don't know." He said honestly. "I heard there was something...not right about him. Maybe he's got some shit to sort out."

"He was acting kind of strange." Ryu pondered. "Maybe he needs some more sparkle in his life."

"I don't think there's anything you can do about it, Ryu-chan." Tatsuha told him. "He probably needs to work this out on his own. Sucks for bro though."

Oh yeah; Tat-kun's grouchy brother was Shu-chan's boyfriend. He remembered how Shuichi used to live with him even though Ryuichi privately thought the man was too grumpy to be a good roommate.

Not like his brother. Tatsuha was as sparkly as they came.

But Ryuichi was still puzzled. Why had Shuichi left grumpy author-san then if he loved him? And his friend with the pretty hair. How come Shu left him too?

Ryuichi knew they'd be sad. He didn't like it when people were sad.

Shuichi shouldn't be over in England, Ryuichi decided. There were too many people who needed him here.

"Hey Tats!"

"What is it, Ryu-honey?" His playmate had rolled off him and was in the process of lighting up one of his smelly cigarettes.

Ryuichi wrinkled his nose in repulsion. "I wanna play a new game."

A funny glint was in Tatsuha's eyes. It scared Ryuichi slightly. He leant forward, smirking. "Oh yeah?"

"Yup!" Ryuichi waited until they were nose-to-nose before hollering his plan. "HIDE AND SEEK!" Tatsuha fell backwards, his ears ringing.

When his hearing returned, Ryuichi was gone, along with his chances of getting laid tonight.

Fuck his life.

-

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* * *

Forty-seven minutes later.

The Imperial Hotel.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

Ryuichi giggled as he emptied the suitcase.

The hotel room looked like a hurricane had hit it with clothing thrown everywhere. Kumagoro reminded him that they would need to hide it for their plan to work.

Ryu thought to himself for a moment before an idea went 'ding!' in his head and he shoved the whole pile under the bed. The mattress kind of bulged when he was done so Ryuichi put a pot plant on it.

There!

He climbed into the empty suitcase along with a pillow, a comic book and a packet of strawberry pocky in case he got hungry on the flight. Kuma helped zip them up and Ryuichi settled down to wait.

He must have fallen asleep because he was woken up by someone's loud voice. Ryuichi almost jumped up but remembered that he was supposed to be quiet at the last moment. Kumagoro was nervous; he wondered what if it was K or Tat-kun ready to take him away?

"Shhh..." Ryu told him.

The voice he heard was a girl one so it wasn't K or Tats...

"DANNYYYYY! YOU FORGOT YOUR SUITCASE!!"

Now Ryuichi recognised it; it was Dolly-chan. He stayed perfectly still.

"WHAT? ...FINE! Lazy prat." Ryu heard her mutter. She paused and he thought for a second that she knew he was there. "...Eh? Plant? What a fucking weirdo." He heard her come closer and tug on the suitcase. "Oi Danny! What the fuck do you have in here? Flipping bricks? There's a weight limit on the plane, you know!"

Ryuichi felt quite insulted. He prodded his stomach experimentally. It was squishy.

Oh no! Why hadn't anyone told him he'd gotten fat?

He forward into a face-plant as the suitcase tipped up. "Thank God for wheels on luggage." Dolly-chan huffed and Ryu felt himself being pulled out of the room as he struggled to move into a position that didn't involve his face being squashed into the weird-smelling corner of the suitcase.

Well at least he was going somewhere...

-

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* * *

Two Days Earlier.

The Imperial Hotel.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

"**I am going to kill that little brat!!**"

"Dude, calm down."

"DON"T FUCKING TELL ME TO CALM DOWN AUTUMN ROSE!!!"

"...Ow, I think you killed my ear."

"How could he be so irresponsible?!?"

Autumn watched Dolly; her head turning from side-to-side to match her band mate's furious pacing. "So he went back to England," Autumn took a bite of her vegetarian subway. "Mmfhng hbrr?"

Dolly spared her a repulsed look. "I'm not even going to pretend I know what that means. Swallow please."

Autumn did so. "I said; who cares?"

"Are you fucking insane?" Dolly paused in her pacing.

Autumn laughed. "Ha, _I'm_ not." She made a face when Dolly didn't laugh. "I was _joking_, jeez." Dolly snatched her subway away when she tried to take another bite. "Hey!" Autumn made a grab for it. She failed and sat on the sofa pouting instead.

"While you're sitting here eating a sandwich, Shu could be God knows where, doing God know what...or who." Dolly rebuked, taking a bite out of the sub herself. She paused and nodded. "Hmm, these _are_ good."

"I hate you." Autumn said, mournfully staring at her sub in the enemies hands.

"Get over it." Dolly advised her. "Now, what are we going to do about Shu? Any suggestions?"

"Well," Danny started. "They have this saying in the military, when it appears all is lost, such as now, and they need help."

"Spit it out." Autumn told him as gently as possible.

"I believe it is times such as these, when we're stuck in Japan and Shu's on his way to England alone, where you need to call for reinforcements to help out. So I propose that we 'call in the Confectionary' as a matter of speaking."

Dolly and Autumn exchanged glances. "Eh?"

Danny sighed in exasperation. "The _Calvary_. Confectionary. Calvary." He hinted.

"Ohhh..." Dolly and Autumn exchanged delighted looks.

"Good one, Danny." Autumn mussed his hair.

"Top notch." Dolly added as she tackled him with a hug. "You're a star!"

"And the audience loves you!" Autumn chimed in.

"And you love them." Dolly continued.

"And they _love_ you for loving them."

"And you _love_ them for loving you."

"And you _looove_ each other!" They sang at him together.

Danny attempted to leave the room.

"And that's because none of you got enough love in your childhoods." Dolly sidled up to him.

"And that's showbiz." Autumn pranced up on his other side.

"Kid!" They finished in synchronisation and burst into laughter.

"Well, if you've both finished singing _Chicago_ songs, terribly might I add; that's not in either of your vocal ranges at all." Aubrey strode up to them, putting a slim black phone back into her purse. The two girls exchanged glances.

"And Aubrey Kane will shit, I know," Dolly sung loudly.

"To see her name get billed below," Autumn joined her.

"Daaaannyyyy Starrrr!" They finished in cabaret glamour with outstretched arms and spirit fingers pointing to Danny who'd gone a shade beyond red at that point.

"Oh yes, let's have a right old laugh. I'll just keep this news to myself then shall I?" The manager crossed her arms and tapped her foot; waiting impatiently for the female Rampage member's to stop their giggling.

"We're sorry Aubrey." Dolly gave puppy-eyes to the woman.

"Super sorry!" Autumn lisped which sent them back into hysterics.

"Shu took the jet." This made them stop dead silent. "I've sent word to the airport to arrange it to be sent back once it arrives but with three twelve hour trips, not to mention time needed to refuel and recheck the place, the earliest we can return is in two days."

"Two days?!" Dolly screeched causing them all to wince. "I'm ready to go home now!"

'I'm not." Autumn shrugged.

"Oh you only want to stay because of that stupid guitarist." Dolly glared at her.

"Why can't we go commercial?" Danny asked.

"Not a chance." Aubrey shook her head adamantly. "There's too big a chance of being mobbed."

"What's wrong with Hiro?" Autumn demanded loudly, cutting across their conversation. "He's the sex."

"A relationship based on physical attraction is doomed for failure." Dolly sniffed.

"Oh you'd know." Autumn shot back.

"And what is _that_ supposed to mean?" Dolly snarled.

"Nothing," Autumn said flippantly. "_Slut_." She coughed loudly.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "I feel like a single mother."

"Don't worry," Danny assured her. "You have me."

"Don't get any idea's, matey." Aubrey gave him a hard look and he shifted away nervously.

"I'm going to let that slide," Dolly told Autumn. "On the basis of you are about to experience dire heartbreak and I'm afraid that the exposure to both that and the beyond amazing retort I would have come up with would kill you and then I'd have to pay for even more therapy for Danny."

"Hey!" The drummer protested.

"What the hell are you on about now Dolly?" Aubrey asked before Autumn could start the argument again.

Dolly looked reluctant. "I am rather disinclined to say actually." She tossed her head primly instead.

"She means that she has nothing on Hiro because he is fucking awesome and she's just jealous that _her_ husband is–"

"Don't finish that sentence." Dolly warned her.

"Then what?" Autumn spat. "Is your problem?"

"Yeah, Dolly," Danny looked confused. "You liked Hiroshi before."

"Well that was before I found out that he was screwing around my best friend." Dolly hesitantly told him.

"You're pathetic!" Autumn yelled at her. "And you stole my sub!" Aubrey stepped between them before there could be any bloodshed.

"Well, I will admit to that." Dolly took another bite and chewed it thoughtfully.

"You have no basis to your hatred of him do you?" Autumn snapped. "You're just annoyed because I like Hiro and that's outside your control."

"I really don't know why you all insist I'm some kind of control freak." Dolly sighed in annoyance. "And I do have a basis for my dislike. It's not that I don't think he's a good match for you or anything. I just don't want to tell you the truth because then you'll be sad."

"Prove it." Autumn demanded. "I'm a big girl. I can handle anything you dish out."

"Alright," Dolly conceded. "The reason I am not partial to Hiroshi at the moment is..."

"Well?!" Autumn pushed past Aubrey and stared her supposed best friend in the face. "Do you want time to think of a good excuse? Save it! I don't even want to know anymore." She turned to leave.

"It's because of Ayaka!" Dolly blurted out finally.

"Who's Ayaka?" Aubrey asked in confusion.

"My question exactly." Autumn turned back. "Who is Ayaka?"

"She's..." Dolly finally realised there was no way around it. "She's Hiro's fiancé. I'm so sorry Autumn."

Autumn didn't answer, she spun around and marched right into the bathroom and locked the door.

-

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-

* * *

Two Days Later.

(Present Time)

Narita International Airport.

Tokyo, Japan.

* * *

Eiri despised airports.

He didn't know whether it was the abundance of well-wishers and the loudly crying couple's saying farewell, or perhaps the profusion of people who really should not be in control of a trolley. It was most likely the wasting of his time on people who didn't know how the fuck to do their job.

He glared at the woman in front of his who was typing nervously on her computer. She looked up and caught his glare and stuttered in her typing, a protesting beep sounded from the computer. "Oops! Sorry sir, I'm going to have to start again. Could you please give me your name once more?"

Eiri let out a guttural growl that caused alarmed expressions to appear on the faces of all those in his immediate vicinity. Yuki Eiri was _not_ a morning person. Especially at four-thirty in the morning.

"Uesugi Eiri." He spat. "Or does your incompetence call for me to say it _once more_?"

"N-no, that's fine, sir." The attendant stuttered. "And where were you flying to this morning?"

Eiri took offence that she dared attempt such a perky voice at such an early hour. He clenched his fists. "Forget it." He wrenched his suitcase off the scale and strode away from the check-in and the inadequate airport worker who stared after him in astonishment.

Angrily he stood in the morning chill outside and lit a cigarette. It was still dark. Somehow this annoyed him as well.

Quite a lot of things had annoyed him in the last two days; airport ineptitude aside.

Being left alone again by his ex-lover annoyed him.

Being called up in the middle of the mother of all hangovers annoyed him.

Being summoned to fucking England of all places annoyed him.

"Hey! Eiri! Over here!" And fucking Nakano annoyed him. He turned and glared at the approaching guitarist with his fucking annoying long hair.

He was in serious need of a haircut, Eiri decided, and a good dye job. He glared at the red locks.

It made his eyes hurt.

"Uh...Eiri? Why are you glaring at my hair?" Hiro asked carefully. Eiri snorted in disgust and transferred his glare to the guitarist's face instead. "Never mind." Hiro said quickly. "Hey, did you try to check in already?"

"'Tried' being the operative word." Eiri ground out. He never noticed how incredibly irritating Nakano's voice was.

"Cause you know Dolly said that we didn't need to check in at the regular terminal since it was a private jet right?"

Eiri, being busy constructing a list to describe Hiro's voice

(Annoying.

Irksome.

Bothersome.

Vexing.

A slaughter on the ear drums.)

almost missed this.

Come to think of it, maybe the blonde did say something of the sort. Eiri was too busy trying to stop her piercing British accent from stabbing his brain to pay attention to what she was saying other than the gist of it; 'England. Tomorrow. Painfully early.'

Nakano was still blathering on. "...was she like that to you Eiri?"

"What?" Eiri asked eloquently.

Nakano looked annoyed. "I _asked_ if she was kind of unfriendly to you too? I mean maybe she was missing Sh–"

"How would I know?" Eiri interrupted. "I don't pay attention to that sort of shit."

Hiro surveyed him. "Jeez, you're really in a pissy mood aren't you?"

Eiri decided not to dignify that idiotic question with an answer.

Nakano shrugged. "Cheer up; you'll see Shu soon enough."

Just when Eiri was about to tell Hiro what to shove and where, an agonizingly cheerful voice called out to them. "YO! Hiro-kun! Eiri-kun! Kyaaaa!"

Eiri felt vomit rise the back of his throat. He pinned Hiro with his most death-like glare yet. "You invited _them_?"

"Hey," Hiro attempted to shrug it off while subtly retreating backwards. "They invited themselves. Wanted to see their band mate off and all."

Eiri flicked his cigarette on the ground and turned inside to make haste in the opposite direction. Pushing his way through the various crowds; even at 4.30AM, in Narita Airport, Eiri felt a chill creep up his neck. Strange, considering that inside the airport was considerably warmer than it was outside. Eiri put it down to the air conditioning in the place and hurried in the direction of the baggage claim.

He never made it.

Approximately four seconds before he reached it a red blur came out of nowhere and attached itself to him with the strength only a fan girl can muster. "There you are!!!" The dulcet tones of Yamamoto Hitomi screamed in his ear with the same intensity she used to hold high notes.

"Well." Eiri said dully. "You found me. Now let go." He heard her give an almighty sigh, again in his ear, before she reluctantly let go.

"Hitomi-chan!"

"Yamamoto-san!"

And that made three, Eiri thought bleakly as the other two members of the new Bad Luck caught up to them.

At first Hiro, and even Suguru, had been totally opposed to another member in Bad Luck. They held hope of Shuichi's return for nearly five months until Seguchi Tohma put his foot down and arranged for Hitomi to join as their new vocalist.

Under the threat of cancelling their contract Suguru bowed but Hiro informed Tohma that he could take their contract and shove it. He didn't even make it to the door of the NG head's office before Tohma casually mentioned how _if_ Shuichi ever returned it would be to his dream having been smashed by no other than his best friend. He added to Hiro's frozen form, that the vocalist would only be temporary and only until Shuichi's return to Bad Luck.

Hiro complied out of obligation to Shuichi only and told Tohma that though he would work with the vocalist he wouldn't do a thing beyond that. Tohma agreed with a glint in his eye and introduced Hiro to Yamamoto Hitomi with her vivid red hair cut short like a boys, her skinny jeans with lyrics scribbled in white-out all over them and her angelic voice. It took Hitomi exactly three days to endear herself to the guitarist.

The rest was history; found on both The Official Bad Luck Website and Wikipedia.

By the time Hiro and Suguru approached them, both panting heavily from the run. Hiro let go of Eiri's discarded suitcase that he'd left behind. Hitomi had acquired a perch on the edge of the baggage claim and was peering at them innocently. "Oi, what's the rush boys?" She teased.

"Please don't run off like that, Yamamoto-san." Suguru scolded gently. "You could get lost."

Hitomi was suddenly overcome with emotion. "Su-chan!!" She squealed with tears pouring out of her eyes. Suguru gulped in horror as she descended down and clung to him much like she did with Eiri.

The writer snorted and decided it was better the keyboardist than him.

"Oh Su-chan!" Hiro cooed. "You _do_ care!"

Suguru turned a bright shade of red. "Please get off me Yamamoto-san." He muttered, trying in vain to pry the girl off him.

"Tch, Su-chan; always so uptight." Hitomi nuzzled the crook of his neck, causing him to yelp and jump away. She caught him easily with her arm slung around his neck in a chokehold. "Right you two, I still haven't figured out why I'm up this early and so now I'm going to say bye and drag this cutie to bed."

"_What?_" Suguru squeaked. "What do you mean, by that? Yamamoto-san??" He struggled in vain to get out of his headlock.

"Have fun." Hiro grinned at them and even Eiri gave a small smirk. "And sorry about missing work for this."

"Nyah," Hitomi shook her head. "This is important right? Besides, me and Su-chan already have a project to work on."

"Really?" Hiro asked.

"Yes, really?" Suguru echoed.

"Uh-huh!" Hitomi said brightly. "We're going to spend the time trying to get that stick out of Su-chan's hiney!"

Suguru choked on his own spit.

"Look! I even brought a book on the subject." Hitomi crowed before pulling out a Kama Sutra edition.

Hiro threw back his head and laughed at that while Suguru had apparently stopped breathing. "He's turning blue." Eiri noted.

Hitomi looked down in horror. "Aiiiii! The kiss of life!!!" She cried before dragging Suguru into a long drawn-out lip-lock.

"Oh man, get a room." Hiro said after the first few minutes passed.

Suguru lifted a hand and flipped him off before pulling the singer closer.

"Didn't know he had it in him..." Eiri said with some surprise.

"Let's get out of here before we get caught up in their public indecency charges." Hiro tugged on his arm and led him away.

Hiro's phone began to ring 'Shining Collection' which threw Eiri right back into his bad mood. Hiro winced at the look on Eiri's face. "Sorry, I like that song."

He pressed talk on the cell...and immediately pulled it away from his ear.

"**Where the fuck are you lot??**" The soothing and pleasant Bristol-accented voice of Aubrey Kane filtered through the earpiece.

Hiro held the phone a safe ten inches away from his face. "We're at the baggage claim in Terminal One."

"**What the fuck are you doing there then? Come to gate 39 will you?**" She hung up without waiting for an answer.

"See what I mean?" Hiro asked, closing his phone in exasperation. "It's like they've suddenly gone off us."

"Gone off _you_." Eiri corrected. "They never liked me in the first place."

"Except for Danny." Hiro commented with a wicked grin.

"Shut the fuck up Nakano." Eiri growled and walked off in the direction of gate 39 with his luggage wheeling behind him.

He had to admit though, even he was curious as to the sudden animosity of the group towards Nakano whom they had seemed to be fond of. Maybe they found out about Ayaka, Eiri thought to himself with a smirk.

He'd decided early on that he was going to stay the fuck out of Nakano's love life and the huge-ass hole he was digging himself into. It saved him the trouble of having to pick sides. He noticed that Shuichi had done exactly the same thing. Maybe the kid was smarter than he originally thought, despite being as dumb as a fucking stump.

"Eiri! Wait up!"

Grunting in annoyance, Eiri slowed his pace so the guitarist could catch-up. Something occurred to him. "Hey, Hiro?"

Hiro looked up confused; Eiri didn't often use his first name. "Yeah?"

"Does Ayaka know you're leaving the country?"

Of all the things Hiro expected to come out of the writer's mouth that was not one of them. He laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head. "Ayaka-chan? Where did that come from?"

Eiri gave him an impatient look. "I don't have the time or patience to reveal my every thought trail to you Nakano. Just answer the damn question already!"

Hiro sighed. "To tell you the truth, I...I don't know. Things are kind of confusing at the moment. She's been in Kyoto for the past month and I haven't even spoken to her in the last week. And then there's the thing with...it's just...things are all messed up at the moment. You know?"

Eiri nodded even though he'd tuned Nakano out half way through the monologue. He'd gotten his query answered and wasn't particularly interested in any other part of Nakano's love life. Or lack thereof once this all crashed down on his head. Eiri smirked, it was bound to of course and it was his own stupid fault.

Eiri was not going to be an agony aunt for something he brought upon himself.

So instead he blocked out the guitarist's voice and nodded strategically every now and then while keeping an eye on the gate numbers.

"...Eiri? Eiri!" The writer snapped out of his daze and looked at his companion who was waiting for an answer for some question he'd apparently been asking for some time.

"Look, there's gate 39." He said quickly instead of answering.

Predictably it worked, Hiro forgot all about whatever he'd been asking. "Hey, and there's everyone else too."

The three remaining member's of Rampage, plus manager, stood outside the gate; all identical in black trench coats and dark glasses. They looked like something out of the Matrix, Eiri snorted to himself.

"I guess they're going incognito." Hiro commented.

"Incognito my ass." Eiri replied, making his way towards them. "The only way they _wouldn't_ be standing out was if we were at a Star Trek convention right now."

Hiro laughed and waved as they approached. "Hey guys, sorry we're late. Got lost I guess."

The only response he got was identical smirks from Dolly and Autumn and an uncomfortable attempt at one that looked more like a grimace by Danny. The manager was too busy yelling at someone on her cell phone. She spared a glance for the two and with a wave of her hand they were relieved of their luggage by a large man in a suit who disappeared into the gate with it.

"Oh it's fine." Dolly assured them, looking very intimidating in her sunglasses, despite her size. She was wearing stiletto-heeled leather boots and her hair was slicked up in a quaff to compensate for her lack of height. "We were just waiting for the final member of our little gang."

Eiri cast his eyes over everyone in the group. "Who are you waiting for?" He wanted to know. "I hope you didn't invite Seguchi, or the blonde American." He added suspiciously.

"No, nothing like that." Autumn shot him a beaming smile. "Just a little surprise guest."

She hadn't looked at Hiro at all since they arrived. He shrugged it off and moved closer to her. "Hey, why are you guys acting so weird?" He asked her quietly. "Is this normal for you at an airport or something?" She didn't answer and stared straight ahead with a small and slightly bitter smile on her face.

"Fuck this is stupid." Danny said under his breath. "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid."

Eiri looked down at him. "You want to tell me what this is all about?" He muttered.

Danny shook his head. "You're about to find out Yuki-sama." He gestured behind them.

Dolly brightened. "You're finally here!" She called.

"I'm so sorry I'm late. Your invitation was such late notice that I nearly didn't make it!"

Eiri froze; he recognised that voice. With a glance at the pale-faced Hiro, he could tell he wasn't the only one.

* * *

_**And that dear reader is a cliff-hanger. Ha-Ha! I know who it issssss and yooouuuu dooon't!! Nyah! Nyah! And you won't unless you review and tune in for the next chapter. (That's blackmail.) I'm willing to take guesses as to who it is but I'm not going to reply to any of them! I hope you liked Hitomi as much as I liked writing her! **_

_**The bitch is back.**_

_**Love Queen Cocaine**_

_**xoxo**_


	11. Harlequin Girls

**_I hate tribute bands. I really do. _**

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**Snow.**

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Chapter Eleven.

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* * *

Three Hours Later.

Rampage's Private Jet.

In the air.

* * *

Hiro mentally cursed the sadistic grudge-holding deity up there who had it in for him.

There was no way it could be anything other than the work of a god, the situation he was in. Currently the Bad Luck guitarist was sitting in a rather comfortable white-leather seat in a rather luxurious private jet. Perhaps if that had been it he would be in a much better state of mind.

But as it happened fate was making him her bitch and seated across from him was the girl he was starting to like a lot...and Usami Ayaka-san; his fiancé.

Yes, fate was getting out the whips and chains for Nakano Hiroshi.

He supposed it served him right; from an outsider's point of view it might appear that he had been screwing around on both of them. But Hiro didn't really see it that way. He had been growing apart from Ayaka for some time; their extended engagement was proof of this.

It had really started around the time Shuichi disappeared that he began to distance himself from her. Of course the most he distanced the more she held on and resentment for the girl sparked inside him for not allowing him proper time to grieve for his loss.

That resentment flickered and expanded into a small flame that seemed to grow more and more whenever he spent time with her. It got to the point where they couldn't last five minutes without bursting into an argument and after a particularly nasty one Ayaka fled back to her parents in Kyoto.

Hiro briefly toyed with the idea of going after her and apologising but as the months past he found himself with a weight gone. A weight that he hadn't even known he was carrying. Now the only obvious choice was to go to Kyoto and explain to her that it wasn't working and that it would be best for both of them if they went their separate ways. But having been together for nearly three years made him reluctant to hurt her, even if the relationship was clearly not working.

So instead of doing the right thing, he threw himself into his work with Bad Luck, much to the delight and annoyance of his band mates who, though they were pleased by his new work ethic, could plainly see that it was only a cover for his procrastination. They agreed to finish their work on the new album and _then_ Hiro would go sort out his love life, no arguments, no more postponement.

But as luck would have it, just as they were tying the loose ends on the last song, who would walk back into his life but Shuichi 'Snow' Shindou bringing with him the last thing Hiro needed in his life; a new girl.

So somehow while he was concentrating on spending all his time with Autumn and again putting off speaking to Ayaka; he didn't want to do it over the phone; with three years together he figured she deserved a lot more than that, somehow his two separate lives got crossed over and now he was in this mess.

This had Shuichi written all over it. Oh how that guy was going to get it when they finally got to England.

He momentarily indulged himself in fantasies of kicking his treasonous friend's ass from London to Tokyo before his maddeningly correct conscious mentioned that Shuichi technically had the moral high ground here.

Of course he did. Hiro blew out a breath. Shuichi was probably just protecting Autumn from...Hiro?

It kind of hurt to think that Shu thought she needed protecting from him but what the hell, it was the truth anyway.

He didn't dare talk to Eiri about it; the writer would have absolutely no sympathy for him. He knew Eiri would just say something along the lines of 'reaping what you sow' only with a lot more explicative's. He had been in a shitty mood for the last few days. So no help from that side.

With the dagger glares Dolly and Aubrey had been sending him throughout the last three hours it was obvious they would rather chew off their arms then help him. Danny didn't seem as pissed as the others were but then again, Hiro doubted the validity of any advice the guy might give him.

He had doubts as to whether Danny had even had a girlfriend before. The guy wasn't bad-looking by anyone's account, but he looked as though he'd wet himself before voluntarily spending time with a female other than those he worked with.

It looked like Hiro was on his own. He snuck a look at Autumn who had bagged the window seat and was staring out at the clouds stonily. His gaze unwillingly slid to the girl sitting next to her who was staring at him with an undeniably hungry look on her face.

Then the plane gave a small jerk and the lust was replaced with a look of absolute terror. Hiro watched in disbelief as Ayaka began..._hyperventilating_?

Her loud panting breaths drew the attention of everyone else on the plane. Danny handed her a paper bag. "You okay?" He asked as Ayaka accepted it gratefully and began sucking into it. He stared at her. "I think you're supposed to breathe slower to make it work." he told her.

Eiri snorted. "She's got aerophobia." He deducted. "Why did you even come on the plane if you're afraid of flying?" He asked scathingly.

Ayaka was either oblivious to or ignored the venom in his voice. "I...couldn't leave...my Hiro...alone." She spoke between deep breaths into the bag.

"Hiro why didn't you tell us that Ayaka-_chan_ here suffered from a fear of flying?" Dolly asked him loudly.

"I didn't know." Hiro told her honestly. Ayaka had never mentioned the fear before, but then again he'd never actually been in a plane with her before. They'd always driven the Kyoto-Tokyo route.

"That seems a bit..." Dolly trailed off to find the right word. "_Neglectful_ of you."

Hiro twitched. She'd been dropping various sniping comments since they'd met up at the airport. Three hours in the air with her and Hiro was seriously regretting getting into a plane with her.

But at the same time he knew it was only some sort of defence mechanism she'd initiated on behalf of Autumn. So he'd just grin and bear it for now, but she was seriously getting on his nerves. And apparently Eiri too as he told her to shut the fuck up.

He sneered when Hiro sent him a thankful look. "I'm not doing it for you Nakano; I've got a migraine and hearing her fucking accent all the time, even if it's cussing you out, is doing shit all to help."

Ayaka looked curiously between Hiro and Dolly. "Is there something I don't know here?" She asked.

"Probably," Autumn answered for them, finally turning away from the window. "I mean you can't claim to know _everything_. So by that logic I'm guessing there's a lot you don't know. Right Hiroshi?" She asked looking directly at him.

Hiro shamefully looked away. "It's nothing Ayaka." He told her quietly.

Now she was looking between Autumn and Hiro. "Well," She decided. "If there is something wrong honey I want you to talk to me about it." Hiro looked at her in surprise when she swapped seats from beside Autumn to the empty one beside him. "As your future wife I want to help you with any and all problems." She finished snuggling into his side.

Hiro didn't dare look at Autumn, he just sat there as still as a statue as Ayaka closed her eyes and cuddled further into him, even going so far as to pull his arm around her. "Well, I hope that a nap will help against my fear. Goodnight everyone." She said as she closed her eyes and nuzzled into Hiro's side.

"Well at least that shuts one of them up." Eiri's mutter could be heard clearly. Hiro gave a small fake laugh along with everyone else. Beside him Ayaka's breath came slower and she relaxed more against him.

Hiro looked up and met the clear green eyes of Autumn. She was staring at him with an indistinguishable expression on her face. He wanted to tell her how sorry he was, about Ayaka, about everything but he didn't dare with Ayaka being so close to them, as well as everyone else on the plane. He resolved to find a moment alone with her when they got to England. He wanted, no, _needed_ to explain things to her.

Even if she didn't forgive him just yet he needed to try.

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* * *

Eleven Hours Later.

Harlequin Manor.

England.

* * *

Shu Snow sunk further into the overstuffed chaise longue and watched the fast-moving clouds through the large window that took up almost a full wall. He was completely and utterly bored.

Perhaps he had been just a little bit hasty in fleeing Japan; perhaps he should have waited for his band mates to join him before he got on the plane. But he was in such a _hurry_. He knew they wouldn't leave without an explanation and he couldn't explain a thing to them. He didn't even know himself why he left so suddenly.

Oh well, what's done is done, he'd deal with the repercussions when they finally came home. He knew the jet had been sent for almost as soon as he touched down at Heathrow. They were going to be pissed, that was for sure.

Shu checked his watch; it was eleven in the morning. He thought to himself; if they boarded at the earliest possible time, which he suspected they probably had, then their flight should have touched down at Heathrow at about nine. He'd already sent Cinnamon to collect them. They should be here soon.

He sat up and stretched. He supposed he could wait for them in the foyer; if he put on a good enough show then maybe they wouldn't be so harsh on them for abandoning them in Tokyo. He exited the sitting room; one of his favourites in the mansion, and called out the door. "Popsicle? You here?"

He didn't have to wait long; a few moments after he called her name the girl appeared in a flash of bright blue eyes and lime green hair. "Mister Snow!" She squealed and pounced on him in a hug. "You called!"

Shu returned the hug and spun her around. "Yeah, have you heard from Cinnamon?"

Popsicle thought to herself. "Hmm...Oh yeah!" She brightened. "She called before; they're on their way now."

"Mint." Shu nodded and offered his arm to the giggling girl. "Shall we go meet them? You can protect me if they're still angry."

Popsicle giggled again and clung to him arm. "Anything for you Mister Snow." She fluttered her eyelashes.

Shu shot her a charming smile which made her melt and lead the besotted girl down the hallway pass the various gold disks and award plates on display. He paused as a photograph caught his eye.

It was his wedding portrait, showing all four Rampage band mates instead of just the newlyweds.

Dolly took precedence in the photo, posed in the middle in her flowing dress, blood red rather than the traditional white, her arms around a laughing Autumn who was dressed in a black silk bridesmaid dress, her dreads piled on top of her head in an overly elaborate bun.

Shu himself was dressed in a white paint-splattered tuxedo jack, his bare chest covered with a collection of shining silver necklaces that didn't quite cover the snowflake tattooed right over his heart. His pants were leather and he was clowning it up in the photo, having jumped right into Danny's arms just as the picture was being taken.

The drummer had a comically surprised look as he found himself carrying the groom bride-style. He was the only one dressed traditionally in a smart black tuxedo. He looked hot, Shu thought with a lecherous grin.

"Mister Snow?" Popsicle tugged on his arm. She held a small controller in her hand. "C'mon! They're at the gate."

That caught Shu's attention. "What are we waiting for then?" He asked and started down the hallway at a run, half-pulling the girl behind him. They turned sharply and took the stairs two at a time, almost tripping in their haste to get down.

Finally Shu halted in front of a pair of elaborately decorated and extremely large doors. "Go find the others." He told Popsicle. She pecked him on the cheek and skipped out another door.

Shu saw her a few moments later on the monitor positioned beside the door which gave a camera-operated view of what was outside. She was lined up on the right at the bottom of the stairs leading to the door with Lollipop by her side. On the left stood Liquorish and Candyfloss.

Shu couldn't stop the grin creeping across his face as he caught sight of the stretch limousine cruising through the gates and up the long driveway before coming to a halt just in front of the fountain. He turned to an ornamental mirror on the wall and checked his appearance, smoothing back his white-blonde hair and running a finger under his eyes to check for any running eyeliner.

Then he waited a few moments for the Cinnamon to open the door of the limo before he threw the doors open and strode outside to greet them.

-

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* * *

Two Hours Previous.

Heathrow Airport.

London, England.

* * *

The small plane touched down gently on to the asphalt and began slowing its run. Beside him Hiro heard Ayaka release a breath of relief. He wriggled his now numb arm; Ayaka hadn't let go of once in nine hours. Only now that she was busying herself with undoing her seatbelt did he finally have it back.

He grimaced as it pricked with pins and needles as the blood rushed back into it. Around him everyone else was staring to wake up, or turn off their iPod's or put away magazines and books. He snuck a look at Autumn who'd fallen asleep with her music blasting in her ear around the fifth hour in the plane.

Dolly shook her gently to wake her and Hiro watched as her brow crinkled and she swatted a hand in Dolly's general direction irritably. "Nnugmph..." She muttered. Hiro stifled a laugh at that.

"Wakey wakey! Autumn you lazy sloth." Dolly finally lost her patience when Autumn's hand collided with her face. She yanked one of the earplugs out of her band mate's ear and yelled in it. "**Wake the fuck up!**"

Autumn's eyes flew open and she jumped right out of her seat and sat in a confused muddle on the floor. "Whaa...?"

"We're heeere!" Dolly sung as she pulled the guitarist back on her feet.

Autumn rubbed her eyes irritably. "Fucking A. Can you not fucking deafen me next time?" She snapped in uncharacteristic ire.

Dolly rolled her eyes. "Oh whatever you cranky bitch. You can sleep in the limo."

Ayaka tugged at Hiro's arm. "Hiro-kun? We're leaving now." Her pulling made his sore muscles ache and he automatically yanked his arm back, rubbing it. He sighed as Ayaka sent him a hurt-filled look. "Gomen." he muttered. She sniffed at him and exited the plane without another word.

"Smooth." Autumn commented as she passed him before following Ayaka off the plane.

Hiro found himself alone except for Dolly who paused. "You really don't deserve her." She commented before exiting. Hiro wasn't sure as to whether she meant Ayaka...or Autumn.

Hiro shook it off before following the rest of them. The wind hit him almost as soon as he exited the plane and he almost fell off the stair in surprise. The rest of them were almost inside the terminal and he had to run to catch up.

The Rampage member's had donned dark glasses and kept their heads down as they were all hustled by Aubrey through the terminal. Hiro slowed his pace as he reached the group. "Hey, don't we need to wait for our bags?" He asked.

Danny shook his head. "No, they are automatically transferred to the car." He told Hiro before turning round and bumping right into a woman, knocking his glasses off. "Sorry about that." He told her, picking up the bag she'd dropped as well as his glasses.

The women took one look at his face and let out a scream that alerted the rest of the crowd. "**DANNY STARR!!!**"

"Oh fuck." Danny said before they were suddenly set upon by people desperate to take a picture, ask for an autograph or just touch the musicians.

"Nice Danny, real nice." Aubrey deadpanned before conjuring a walkie-talkie out of nowhere and muttering urgently into it.

No less than three seconds later a voice yelled over top of the crowd. "**All right people. Back the fuck up!**" The crowd found themselves pulled away by a circle of airport security officers who were being directed by a tall Caucasian girl with long red hair and light brown eyes.

"Cinnamon!" Dolly cried and hugged the girl. "What are you doing here? We were just going to call you."

"Mister Snow sent me down here to collect you lot." Cinnamon explained. "Just in time too I'll bet."

A man broke free of the guard and flung himself at Autumn. "It's RAMPAGE!" He yelled.

Cinnamon spun around and pulled out a magnum, pointing it right at the man who froze. "Didn't you hear me?" She demanded. "Back the fuck up, mate. This ain't a fake gun." She clicked the safety.

The man turned white and reversed back into the crowd which didn't seem as enthusiastic as before.

"ANYONE ELSE?" Cinnamon yelled, waving the gun.

No, they didn't seem enthusiastic at all.

"I didn't think so." The redhead said satisfied and flipped the safety back on, putting the gun back on her side-holster. "Let's go." She told the group. "I got the limo out front and I hate paying parking fees." She led the way, their circle of airport guards moving with them through the terminal.

"Who or what the fuck is that?" Eiri asked.

"That's Cinnamon." Autumn answered. "She's kind of like a major multi-tasker. Like a bodyguard/chauffeur/maid/fan girl kind of person."

"Fan girl?" Eiri repeated.

"We find that fan girl's make the best protection." Dolly added, skipping alongside him. "They're..._fanatical_, especially when you have a pack of them together...which we do."

Eiri scowled. "They're not going to jump me are they?"

Dolly thought for a moment. "Probably not...though I'd lock the bathroom door just in case." She laughed softly when Eiri's eye developed a tick. She wisely drifted to the back of the group and started a conversation with Danny.

With the protective circle of airport security around them, brushing through the increasingly irate crowd like a knife through butter, they reached an awaiting black stretch limousine with relative ease.

Hiro saw two men just finishing packing their luggage into the trunk of the limousine. He could have sworn he heard one of the bags let out a squeak as it was packed particularly firmly into the trunk. Shaking it off as his imagination, he slipped into the spacious back of the limo with Cinnamon shutting the door gently behind him.

He saw as she got into the front seat that she'd produced a chauffeur's hat from somewhere and was now tucking her red hair under it and slipping on a pair of dark glasses. Hiro frowned; he didn't quite get exactly who the girl was but conversation broke out before he could ask.

Dolly and Aubrey had immediately set upon the mini fridge and were now passing around champagne flutes. Eiri had lit up a cigarette and was sitting in the corner, blowing the smoke out the open window. Ayaka was chatting animatedly with Autumn who seemed to be full of fake smiles and one-word answers, all of which were lost on his fiancé. Eventually Danny took pity on her and distracted Ayaka with a constant stream of babble of random facts he knew about London.

Autumn sank back into her seat in relief and drained her glass with a single long gulp. Hiro tried to catch her eye but she stead-fast refused to even look at him. He gave up with a sigh and sank back into his seat, watching the busy city through the one-way tinted window.

So far this trip was not turning out at all how he'd planned. He felt completely and utterly wretched and on top of that, he felt guilty for feeling so bad because a part of him knew that he deserved it. He was momentarily cheered by the thought that in a few short hours, he'd see Shu again.

Soon the scenery began to change rapidly from busy city to increasingly sparse country side and Hiro noticed the roads they travelled on had far less traffic. In fact he hadn't seen a car for the last five minutes.

Eiri appeared to be on his seventh cigarette and they'd managed to clean out all three bottles in the mini fridge so the conversation in the car had gotten considerably louder and livelier. Ayaka's shrill drunken giggles filled the air. Hiro turned frowning; she was half-hanging off Danny who looked acutely uncomfortable.

"You never told us she was such a light-weight either, Hiroshi." Dolly, sitting opposite him, commented disdainfully.

"Oh don't be such a snob darling." Aubrey elbowed her. "She's just having a bit of fun. Letting her hair down and all."

Dolly sniffed. "Letting her hair down all over _my_ drummer you mean."

Hiro was surprised at the jealously. Especially since she was supposed to be married to his best friend. But then again, they had told him that the marriage was basically a farce so Shu could get citizenship.

Dolly caught him staring and glared at him. "Oh don't go getting any ideas Nakano; Danny is mine. Just as Autumn is mine and Shu is mine." This caused Eiri, now starting on his eighth cigarette, his pack looking decidedly empty, to look over and scowl.

"Oh shut up you possessive little hag." Aubrey told her teasingly. "And by the way, you forgot me."

"You know you're mine Aubrey." Dolly replied. "You have it tattooed on your–"

"What happens in Vegas, eh boys?" The manager cut across cheerfully.

Hiro covered his laugh with a cough. He searched his mind for a new topic. "So...do you have any other tattoos?"Aubrey gave him a look. "Now that, young man, is my business."

"She's just got the one." Dolly spoke for her. "But she does, however have a nipple ring and a piercing on her cli–"

Aubrey looked scandalized. "Dolores!"

Dolly winced. "I hate that name."

"How about you?" Hiro asked, trying to suppress the new knowledge.

Dolly pulled up the sleeve of her trench coat to reveal the colourful collage decorating her skin. "I have a sleeve of tattoos up one arm and a dragon encircling the wrist of the other. I also have the twelve symbols of the zodiac at equal distances down my spine." She pulled down her top to reveal the top half of her breasts. "And two paw prints on the top of each of my tits."

Hiro could see the tattoos very clearly. A blush crept over his face and he averted his eyes. She gained the attention of everyone else in the limousine.

"Dolly, what the fuck are you doing?" Autumn said with wide eyes.

Dolly pulled her top back up. "I'm just giving Hiro here a visual tour to my body art." She pointed to just beneath her hip. "I also have a tattoo here. I'm afraid I can't show you that one; Autumn might have an aneurysm." She teased.

"Do you have any?" Hiro ventured to the hippy. She nodded. Hiro waited but she didn't say anything more.

Dolly thought for a moment. "If I remember correctly, darling Autumn has...black angel wings across her back, a dragon on her lower back...a ying-yang on her hip. Anything else?"

"She has the Japanese kanji for 'love' on the back of her neck." Danny finished. Hiro nodded impressed.

"Do you have any tattoos Hiro-_kun_?" Dolly asked sweetly.

"No," Ayaka answered for him. "Neither Hiro nor myself find the idea of tattoos attractive." She didn't notice the looks she received, ignorant to any offense her comment might have caused.

Hiro coughed uncomfortably. "Actually..." All eyes turned to him.

Eiri smirked. "You have a tattoo Nakano?"

"It's a guitar." Hiro admitted.

Ayaka looked aghast. "Hiroshi! You never told me..."

"You didn't tell me either." Eiri put in, obviously enjoying Hiro's discomfort.

"Well, it's not a place either of you have looked." Hiro answered. There was silence in the limo as everyone digested that.

Danny voiced everyone's thoughts. "Wow, a penis tattoo. Does that hurt more? Since the skin's more sensitive and stuff?" Hiro turned red but not as red as Ayaka who seemed to be bordering on purple.

"It's not on my..." he cut off, finding himself unable to finish.

Eiri's grin widened. "Hey there's no shame in it. We all kind of admire you for getting one on your _cock_."

Ayaka squeaked. "Can we not talk about it?" She begged. "It's disgusting."

Autumn was looking interested. "What kind of guitar is it?" She asked.

"It's a '69 Fender Strat." Hiro answered, his relief at her speaking to him overriding his embarrassment.

Autumn nodded. "Nice." She looked impressed. "Bryan Adams?"

Hiro nodded. "Yeah, big influence."

"Well, I'm completely lost." Dolly announced.

"I can't believe you got a tattoo without telling me!" Ayaka hissed at her fiancé.

Hiro looked nonplussed. "It was a hard time; I need something to remind me why I was in the band."

"You don't need to mark you skin just to help you remember." Ayaka insisted. "You realise that it's permanent."

"_No_... Dolly commented sarcastically.

"It's going to hurt more to get it removed." Ayaka continued. "It will probably cost more also."

Hiro looked annoyed. "I'm not getting it removed. It's my body."

Ayaka bristled. "What am I supposed to tell my parents?!" She snapped, her face heating up even more.

"Why do they have to know?" Autumn asked.

Ayaka looked shocked. "You're asking me to _lie_ to them?"

"Withholding information isn't lying." Dolly pointed out. "I do it all the time."

"We know." Autumn rolled her eyes.

"I love this, it's like we're right in the middle of a domestic." Danny said excitedly watching as the argument between Hiro and Ayaka started up again.

"Ayaka, I'm sorry, but I'm not getting it removed. End of story."

"It's not the end!!" Ayaka shrieked. "I don't care what you think! It's stupid looking and you're getting it removed!"

Eiri winced. "Who knew she was such a bitch when she's drunk?" he offered offhandedly. Dolly let out a loud laugh at that.

Cinnamon, whose hands were steadily tightening on the steering wheel as the bickering grew louder, suddenly slammed her foot down on the breaks. The sudden stop caused several people to fall off their seats and a couple of unfinished champagne flutes to fly in the air, covering everyone in the back.

Cinnamon turned and looked at the sticky knot of people in the back of the limo and smiled. "We're here!" She called.

Danny lifted his head. "Does anyone smell burning?" he asked.

Eiri, one of the few left sitting, looked down at his empty hand. "Where's my cigarette?"

Ayaka let out a shriek in response when she realised her hair was starting to smoke. Aubrey, the only other person to stay seated, gave a mournful glance to her champagne flute before tossing it over the smoking hair of the girl.

Cinnamon, displaying extraordinary powers of noise-ignoring, opened the window and spoke into a free-standing speaker just outside the large gate. "This is Cinnamon, requesting entry. I have with me four Rampage's and our _special_ guests."

The speaker crackled and a chirpy voice answered her."Affirmative, copy that Cinnamon Bun! This is Candyfloss granting you entry to Harlequin Manor. We'll see you out front!" The gates hummed and opened smoothly.

"Roger that Candy." Cinnamon finished and drove the limousine down a long driveway towards a circular courtyard with a large fountain in the middle.

A statue of a Harlequin clown stood in the middle of the fountain with arms outstretched, shooting coloured water from the points in her jester hat as well as from her fingertips. Eiri thought it was one of the more repugnant fountains he'd seen in his life. It didn't stand a chance against Tohma's mansion and his peacock fountains.

The limo slowed to a stop just past the fountain, Eiri could see there was already four people waiting for them; two on each side.

On the left stood a woman with hair bleached a pale white which contrasted sharply with her dark skin. Next to her stood a Japanese girl with hair a pale candyfloss pink who was bouncing on the spot, her hands clasped together against her chest as she eyed the limousine with barely contained glee.

On the right was a Caucasian girl, with bright turquoise hair in a short curly helmet surrounding her head. She stood next to another girl, this one with long lime green hair; like the pink-haired one, she too was bouncing on the soles of her feet.

Cinnamon got out first and cordially opened the limo door. "Welcome to Harlequin Manor." She announced.

Eiri was first out; he waited impatiently as the others untangled themselves before joining him. It gave him enough time to take in the massive structure before him.

Harlequin Manor was a stately mass, rising high above him; an architect's dream. Perhaps Eiri did not find the Harlequin fountain tasteful, but there was nothing he could say against the beautiful manor itself. Past the house spread rolling green fields and the dark edge of a forest loomed up behind; the high gate that surrounded the manor stretched far beyond that. A set of stone steps lead up to heavy oak double doors framed with pillars.

"Home." He heard Dolly breathe from beside him.

Hiro half-fell out of the limo next. "Whoa..." He said when he caught sight of the manor.

"I freaking love this place." Autumn linked her arm through Eiri's causally. "Every time I see it, I'm just like 'Boom!' instant adoration."

"It's amazing." Ayaka gaped.

"Yeah, yeah, pretty building and all." Aubrey grumbled. "Now could you let the rest of us out?" Ayaka blushed and moved aside though she kept her distance from Hiro, the memory of their disagreement fresh in her mind.

Danny looked around. "But where is..."

The front doors blew open and a silhouette stood outlined in the doorway. The vision was incredibly similar to Shuichi's appearance in The Sakura Cafe that it made Eiri snort.

"Oh _Gawd_," Autumn moaned beside him. "Always so dramatic."

With precise timing Shu Snow stepped out into the sunshine; the light gleaming off his bright hair.

"He's blonde." Eiri said in disbelief.

Dolly glanced at him. "We did mention that the black hair was only to disguise his presence didn't we?"

Hiro noted that Shu was in much better spirits than when they had last seen him; he practically bounced down the steps, coming to a halt right between the four girls at the bottom of the stair.

"Hello!" He crowed. Eiri noticed with a wince, that his British accent was on full blast. "I'm _so_ glad you could all make it!" He cast a long look over them all, not even reacting at the sight of the three visitors.

"Eiri, so nice to see you again!" He nodded at in the novelist's direction. "Hiroshi! What a pleasant surprise! And is that Ayaka I see?" He shot a disarming smile in her direction. She flushed in pleasure.

Shu frowned and looked at the distance between the two. The displeasured vibes between them were obvious. "I guess you told her about Autumn then?"

Hiro choked.

Ayaka squeaked and sent a shocked and hurt look over at him.

Autumn looked like she wanted to sink into the ground.

"Y-you!" Ayaka spun and began angrily marching towards her fiancé, her finger stabbing accusingly at him. Thankfully for Hiro, any would-be encountered were stopped when Cinnamon, who was unloading the luggage from the back of the limousine, stumbled upon the heaviness of one particular bag and dropped it with a heavy thud on the ground.

That was not what caught their attention. What caught their attention was the pained yelp that came from within the bag.

Shu raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you brought someone else?"

"Not willingly." Dolly replied and started towards the bag.

Eiri halted her before she could reach it. "Let me." He told her and reached for the zip. He slowly unzipped the suitcase and looked down into the depths of it. "You have got to be kidding me." He growled and reached down. Everyone stared at his hand pulled Ryuichi Sakuma up roughly from within the suitcase.

Ryu hugged Kumagoro to him, took one look around and smiled. "Hello minna!"

"Nice packing Danny." Dolly said sarcastically, nudging her friend. "What, you stick Seguchi in there too?"

Danny rushed over and looked in the suitcase in horror. It was empty save for a blanket, a 'The Amazing Spiderman' comic and an empty strawberry pocky box.

"Where are my clothes?!?!"

* * *

_**Hehehe...we know... So, they're finally in England, here at Harlequin Manor. And you meet the Confectionary. I don't know, I couldn't think of another name for them. My muse was on vacation, so sue me. Any questions I'll answer to the best of my ability, please review and see you next time!**_

_**You can't arrest me; I'm a rock star...**_

_**Love Queen Cocaine**_

_**xoxo **_


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